The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is a massive nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that has graced the waters for more than forty years. A minimum of 6,000 crewmen call the ship home during deployment, and the carrier can manage up to 90 different aircraft while at sea.
Dept. of Defense video, released to the public, has found its way to YouTube and offers a glimpse of what life is like for the men and women aboard the historic ship. The clips feature day and nighttime operations which include aircraft taking off and landing, safety checks, maintenance and other tasks.
Crew aboard the USS Dwight D Eisenhower conduct day and night time missions as they successfully manage military jets and other aircraft. (The Joint Forces Channel/YouTube)
The video opens up with a beautiful aerial shot of the ship from a helicopter. The aircraft circles the behemoth boat to give the viewer an idea of just how massive the carrier is as it chugs along in the water.
Check out the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in action in the video below:
The video also features a few military fighter jets as they prepare for take off. The 1,000 foot ship offers just enough runway for the powerful aircraft to take off with some assistance from air catapults. The jets go from 0 mph to soaring through the air in a blink of an eye.
In order to land safely on the short runway, the multi-million fighter jets need to be “caught” by arresting gear. These steel wires catch the tail hook of the aircraft and help it come to a complete stop.
Crew aboard the USS Dwight D Eisenhower conduct day and night time missions as they successfully manage military jets and other aircraft. (The Joint Forces Channel/YouTube)
The nighttime operations aboard the ship look even more perilous. With the sun setting, it quickly becomes apparent just how dark the environment is with the ship stationed in the middle of the ocean.
The deck crew use handheld lights as indicators to guide the aircraft along the runaway and into position. A noticeably large team is required in order for each operation to be conducted successfully.
Crew aboard the USS Dwight D Eisenhower conduct day and night time missions as they successfully manage military jets and other aircraft. (The Joint Forces Channel/YouTube)
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was deployed during Operation Eagle Claw in coordination with the Iran hostage crisis in 1980 and during the Gulf War in the 1990’s. More recently, the ship was deployed in support of United States military operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
The carrier currently serves as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 10.
