USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)

Abraham Lincoln underway, with aircraft overhead, in the South China Sea, 8 May 2006
History
United States
Namesake:	Abraham Lincoln
Awarded:	27 December 1982
Builder:	Newport News Shipbuilding Co.
Laid down:	3 November 1984
Launched:	13 February 1988
Sponsored by:	JoAnn K. Webb
Christened:	13 February 1988
Commissioned:	11 November 1989
Motto:	Shall Not Perish
Nickname(s):	Abe
Status:	In active service, as of 2016
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Nimitz-class aircraft carrier
Displacement:	104,112 long tons (105,783 t)
Length:	Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m) Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m)
Beam:	Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m)
Draft:	Maximum navigational: 37 ft (11.3 m) Limit: 41 ft (12.5 m)
Propulsion:	2 × Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors 4 × steam turbines 4 × shafts 260,000 shp (194 MW)
Speed:	30+ knots (56+ km/h; 35+ mph)
Range:	Unlimited distance; 20–25 years
Complement:	Ship's company: 3,200 Air wing: 2,480
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-48E 3-D air search radar AN/SPS-49(V)5 2-D air search radar AN/SPQ-9B target acquisition radar AN/SPN-46 air traffic control radars AN/SPN-43C air traffic control radar AN/SPN-41 landing aid radars 4 × Mk 91 NSSM guidance systems 4 × Mk 95 radars
Electronic warfare & decoys:	SLQ-32A(V)4 Countermeasures suite SLQ-25A Nixie torpedo countermeasures
Armament:	2 × Mk 57 Mod 3 Sea Sparrow 2 × RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile 2 × Phalanx CIWS
Armor:	Classified
Aircraft carried:	90 fixed wing and helicopters

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is the fifth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the United States Navy. It is the second Navy ship to have been named after former President Abraham Lincoln. Its home port is Norfolk, Virginia, and it is a member of the United States Atlantic Fleet. It is administratively responsible to Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic, and, operationally served as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group Nine and host to Carrier Air Wing Two until 2012. It is currently undergoing a four-year Refueling and Complex Overhaul process.

Abraham Lincoln's contract was awarded to Newport News Shipbuilding on 27 December 1982; its keel was laid 3 November 1984 at Newport News, Virginia. The ship was launched on 13 February 1988 and commissioned on 11 November 1989. It cost $4.726 billion in 2010 dollars.

Abraham Lincoln was transferred to the Pacific in September 1990 performing Gringo-Gaucho with the Argentine Naval Aviation during its transit. From 4 October, Abraham Lincoln formed CTG 24.8 in company with USS Doyle (FFG-39); 6 October transit with USS Pawcatuck (AO-108), Doyle in company. Its maiden Western Pacific deployment came unexpectedly on 28 May 1991 in response to Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. The ship had the staffs of Commander, Carrier Group Three, Rear Admiral Timothy W. Wright, and Destroyer Squadron 9 embarked, as well as Carrier Air Wing Eleven. It was accompanied by a seven-ship battle group.