USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)

USS Ronald Reagan in the Straits of Magellan in 2004.
History
United States
Name:	USS Ronald Reagan
Namesake:	President Ronald Reagan
Ordered:	8 December 1994
Builder:	Northrop Grumman Newport News
Laid down:	12 February 1998
Launched:	4 March 2001
Sponsored by:	Nancy Reagan
Commissioned:	12 July 2003
Homeport:	Yokosuka Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan
Identification:	CVN-76
Motto:	Peace Through Strength
Nickname(s):	Gipper
Status:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan subclass
Displacement:	101,400 long tons (113,600 short tons)
Length:	Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m) Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m)
Beam:	Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m) Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m)
Draft:	Maximum navigational: 37 feet (11.3 m) Limit: 41 feet (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:	SPS-48E 3-D air search radar SPS-49A(V)1 2-D air search radar SPQ-9B fire control radar 2 × SPN-46 air traffic control radars SPN-43C air traffic control radar SPN-41 instrument landing system radar 3 × Mk 91 NSSM guidance systems 3 × Mk 95 radars
Electronic warfare & decoys:	SLQ-32A(V)4 Countermeasures suite SLQ-25A Nixie torpedo countermeasures
Armament:	Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile Rolling Airframe Missile Close-in weapons system (CIWS)
Armor:	Unknown
Aircraft carried:	90 fixed wing and helicopters

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier in the service of the United States Navy. The ninth ship of her class, she is named in honor of former President Ronald Reagan, President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Upon her christening in 2001, she was the first ship to be named for a then-still living former president.

As of May 2012 the ship was operationally part of Carrier Strike Group Nine and administratively under the command of Commander, Naval Air Forces Pacific/Commander, Naval Air Forces. The two administrative titles actually refer to one command carrying out two functions. In October 2015, Ronald Reagan replaced the USS George Washington as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group Five, the only forward-based carrier strike group home-ported at Yokosuka, Japan, as part of the United States Seventh Fleet.

The contract to build Reagan was awarded to Northrop Grumman Newport News and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 8 December 1994, and her keel was laid down on 12 February 1998. The budget for the ship had to be increased several times and ultimately $4.5 billion was spent on her construction. This included a redesigned ship island.Reagan was christened by Reagan's wife Nancy on 4 March 2001 at Newport News Shipbuilding, the crew moved aboard on 30 October 2002, and the ship was commissioned on 12 July 2003 at Naval Station Norfolk, with Captain J. W. Goodwin in command. Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynne Cheney were both present at the ceremony, as well as Nancy Reagan, who gave the ship's crew the traditional first order as an active unit of the Navy: "Man the ship and bring her to life." Ronald Reagan made her maiden voyage on 21 July 2003. President Reagan, who did not attend either the launch or the commissioning due to Alzheimer's disease, died eleven months later. At the end of the graveside services, the ship's commanding officer at that time, Captain James Symonds, presented the flag that draped the former president's casket to Mrs. Reagan at her request. This was also the flag that had flown over Capitol Hill on 20 January 1981, when the president was inaugurated. At a later date, Captain Symonds also presented Mrs. Reagan the flag that had been flying over Ronald Reagan when the former president died.