Lieutenant Michael Smith
THE mammoth frame of an iron grey ship, anchored in the blue waters off the Kota Kinabalu coast, silhouetted against the islands around the state capital.
It was an object of curiosity for locals as it sailed into the Malaysian waters on Sept 30 (Saturday). And as it docked, local dignitaries and members of the media were invited on board.
As the visiting parties approached the carrier, the sheer size of the ship evoked a feeling of awe and disquiet, diminished slightly by the friendly demeanour of the officers on board.
Indeed, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier — USS John C Stennis – which called at Sabah recently, is a well-armed floating giant, the likes of which are seldom seen in this part of the world.
For the visitiors, the officers on deck with their guns, and the sea patrols on small boats did lend a feeling of safety and security.
The humongous battleship, with its broody grey countenance, portrays US naval strength on the high seas — with a fleet of some 70 aircraft, including MH-60R Seahawk and MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters, F/A-18F Super Hornets, F/A-18C Hornets, C-2A Greyhound fighters, EA-6B Prowlers and E-2C Hawkeyes, ready to answer the call of duty at a moment’s notice.
The 1,092-feet long, 257-feet wide and 244-feet high aircraft carrier has a four-and-a half acre flight deck, studded with hooks for the planes to park and ensure they do not move and cause damage.
It can cause a lot of damage to the enemy, according to a welcoming pamphlet. In Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, carrier-based air wings had flown strikes and other missions against Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrorist forces in Afghanistan and targets associated with and including the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq.
During the media tour, lieutenant Michael Smith, assistant public affairs officer, related that their 29-day voyage from home port Bremerton in Washington to Malaysia had been smooth even when they passed over rough seas due to current typhoons blowing across Southeast Asia towards the northern islands of Japan and Korea.
“Because it’s so big, we can’t really feel it,” he said, adding that the whole structure was designed for durability and strength.
The carrier can travel up to over 30 knots (about 30 nautical miles) an hour, and boasts two nuclear reactors, allowing it to steam for more than one million miles before refuelling.
The John C Stennis, being the seventh Nimitz-class nuclear-powered super carrier in the US Navy, was named after Senator John C Stennis of Mississippi and commissioned in 1994, Smith shared.
Stennis was a US senator who served with eight presidents, beginning with Harry Truman in 1947 and ending with Ronald Reagan in 1988. As Senate Armed Services Committee chairman from 1969-80, he supported a string US military operations.
Speaking on the role a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in 1979, Smith reportedly said: “It carries everything and goes full strength and is ready to fight or go into action within minutes after arriving at its destination. There is nothing that compares with it when it comes to deterrence.”
With 5,500 people on board, comprising deck sailors, aged 21 and 26 on average, their officers and other supports, the aircraft carrier does project the might of the US Navy.
On their visit to Sabah, Smith said it was a show of solidarity and camaraderie with Malaysia, honouring their strong ties.
On whether they would pass through the Spratley Islands and towards Senkaku Island, whose ownership is being disputed by Japan and China, Smith said he was not privy to that information but shared they were moving towards the Middle East.
On a lighter note, the Stennis has some glamorous encounters of its own. In 2009, she was seen in the background of the science fiction movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
In the 2002 movie The Sum of all Fears, she was ‘crippled’ by Russian bombers equipped with anti-ship missiles. In Revenge of the Fallen, she was featured and in the 2011 game Homefront, she was also featured half sunk just outside of Modesto, California.