US aircraft carrier visiting Vietnam is armed to the teeth

By Nguyen Dong March 6, 2020 | 07:00 pm PT

Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt carries fighter jets and its escort, a cruiser, is armed with advanced weaponry.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt arrived in Vietnam’s central city of Da Nang on Thursday, making it the second U.S. aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam in two years.

The giant vessel arrived in Vietnam’s central city of Da Nang for a five-day visit on Thursday, the second U.S. aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam in two years.

It docked at Tien Sa Port along with cruiser USS Bunker Hill and a destroyer for a visit until next Monday. The carrier has 5,000 crew members and the fleet, 6,500. USS Theodore Roosevelt is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. It is 1,092 feet (332.8 meters) long, has a displacement of 117,000 tons and can carry 90 aircraft.

It docked at Tien Sa Port along with cruiser USS Bunker Hill and a destroyer. The carrier has 5,000 crew members while the other two have a total of 1,500.

The Theodore Roosevelt is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered carrier, 1,092 feet (332.8 meters) long and with a displacement of 117,000 tons and capacity to carry 90 aircraft.

Fighter aircraft on the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The aircraft carrier also bring along three Phalanx CIWS, a close-in weapon system for defense against airborne threats such as anti-ship missiles and helicopters, two RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, a U.S. ship-borne short-range anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapon system, primarily intended for defense against anti-ship missiles and two RIM-116 rolling airframe missile, a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile.

Fighter aircraft on the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The aircraft carrier is armed with three Phalanx CIWS, two RIM-7 Sea Sparrow weapons systems against airborne threats such as anti-ship missiles and aircraft, and two RIM-116 infrared surface-to-air missiles.

On board the aircraft carrier are four squadrons of the Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet, a twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variant, one squadron of the Boeing EA-18G Growler, a carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, two squadrons of the Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk (or Sea Hawk), a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission helicopter, one squadron of the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, an all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft and one squadron of the Grumman C-2 Greyhound, a twin-engine, high-wing cargo aircraft.

There are four squadrons of the Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet twin-engine, multirole fighter aircraft, one squadron of Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, two squadrons of Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk multi-mission helicopters, one squadron of Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, an early warning aircraft, and one squadron of Grumman C-2 Greyhound cargo aircraft.

Escorting the aircraft carrier is the USS Bunker Hill, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser. It which stretches 567 feet (173 meters) long, 55 feet (17 meters) wide, has a displacement of 9,300 tons and can carry a crew of 330 members.

The Bunker Hill is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, 567 feet (173 meters) long and with a displacement of 9,300 tons.

The cruiser is equipped with a number of modern weapons, including the Mark 54 Lightweight Torpedo, a standard 12.75 inch (324 mm) anti-submarine warfare torpedo; 122 vertical launching system, an advanced system for holding and firing missiles on mobile naval platforms, such as surface ships and submarines; and two 12.7 cm/50 Type 3 naval guns.

The anti-air and anti-submarine artillery systems are arranged at various positions on the ship. In the middle of the ship are two close-in weapon systems, a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft.

Its anti-aircraft and anti-submarine artillery systems are at various locations on the deck. In the middle are two close-in weapon systems, a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and aircraft.

On the two sides of the vessel are the M242 Bushmaster chain guns, a 25 mm single-barrel chain-driven autocannon. The cannons are covered in canvas once the ship arrives onshore.

On two sides are M242 Bushmaster chain guns, a 25 mm single-barrel chain-driven autocannon. The cannons are covered in canvas on shore.

The cruiser is equipped with two MH-60R Seahawk warfare helicopter and this area near the end of the ship is for the helipad.

The cruiser is equipped with two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and the helipad is at the stern .

Cannons and torpedoes at the end of the USS Bunker Hill.

Cannons and torpedoes at the stern of the USS Bunker Hill.

The visit of USS Theodore Roosevelt and its escorts take place when Vietnam and the U.S. celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations. Two years ago the USS Carl Vinson visited Da Nang for five days. That visit marked a milestone in diplomatic ties between the two former enemies. It was the first time a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier docked in Vietnam, four decades after the end of the Vietnam War.

The visit by the Theodore Roosevelt take place at a time when Vietnam and the U.S. are commemorating 25 years of diplomatic relations.

Two years ago the USS Carl Vinson visited Da Nang, marking a milestone in ties between the two former enemies.