By "kenlee" from a Hong Kong transport forum :

http://images3.fotop.net/albums3/coming/_X___x__/Img_0717a.jpg

http://images3.fotop.net/albums3/coming/_X___x__/Img_0728a.jpg

http://images3.fotop.net/albums3/coming/_X___x__/Img_0718a.jpg

http://images3.fotop.net/albums3/coming/_X___x__/Img_0731a.jpg


USS Nimitz starts routine visit in HK

HONG KONG, June 3 (Xinhua) -- The USS Nimitz started its routine port visit in Hong Kong on Friday and will stay for a few days.

Commander of Carrier Strike Group 11 Rear Admiral Peter H. Daly said at a press briefing on Nimitz that it was a real great pleasure to dock in Hong Kong. Members of the ship consider Hong Kong a favorite port due to its special status as an international city and its unique culture.

He said that young people formed a majority of the crew and most of them were having a trip outside America for the first time. They spent a lot of time learning the culture of other places on board and they were ready to be good ambassadors of America in Hong Kong.

The commander did not tell exactly how many days the ship will stay, but normally the military ships dock in for a few days.

The Nimitz is the lead ship of the world's most powerful and capable class of warships. It's first deployment began in July 1976. The ship is nearly 1,100 feet long and with a tonnage of over 15,000 tons. On the flight deck and in the hangar bay, the air wing operates approximately 70 aircraft.

I saw the Nimitz when I was San Diego last year. It is a BIG ship, 105,000 (not 15,000) tons. I took this shot while on a harbor tour.

http://img185.echo.cx/img185/772/picture1136sh.jpg

get ready to catch a glimpse of "the American Drunk" on the news :-D

They're nothing but a bunch of horny teenagers. Nevertheless Hong Kong would always welcome visitors with open arms (as long as they bring money)

Hong Kong gets a new supertall. Just stand it on end.

By "Icefox" from HKADB :

上星期六(26/11)小弟登上了來港休假的小鷹號航母，
目標...當然是捉黃蜂o羅...

在一片煙霞中見到目的地...CV63
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_01.jpg

接近艦尾的臨時碼頭
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_02.jpg

首先進入的是傍大的機庫
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_03.jpg

機庫中的 F/A-18C
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_04.jpg

也有維修中的 EA-6B
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_05.jpg

當然會有一o的幾貴的紀念品在賣…
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_06.jpg
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_07.jpg

在機庫遊過後，走到甲板，首先入目的是三隻 SH-60
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_08.jpg

斜甲板左側的機群
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_09.jpg

來，擺個有型的姿勢
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_10.jpg

降落甲板，那四條攔截索都給放到一旁去
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_11.jpg

特別塗裝的超級大黃蜂 (F/A-18F)
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_12.jpg

SH-60 及駕駛艙
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_13.jpg
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_14.jpg

3 號彈射器
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_15.jpg

三隻 E-2C 及艦橋
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_16.jpg

降落甲板最前端回望及3(左)、4(右)號彈射器
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_17.jpg

泊在前甲板的機群
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_18.jpg

EA-6B
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_19.jpg

在甲板最前端回望
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_20.jpg

1號彈射器的彈射梭
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_21.jpg

100號隊長機(左下為2號彈射梭)
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_22.jpg

200號隊長機
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_23.jpg

300號隊長機
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_24.jpg
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_25.jpg

400號隊長機
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_26.jpg

夕陽下的黃蜂群
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_27.jpg

前甲板
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_28.jpg

一號昇降機
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_29.jpg

E-2C尾，站著的是二號昇降機
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_30.jpg

口渴的黃蜂？空中加油管都伸了出來...
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_31.jpg

CV-63 艦身編號
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_32.jpg

回到機庫，來張自拍...
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_33.jpg

最後，再去摸摸黃蜂尾後針
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_34.jpg

要離艦了...
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_35.jpg

Bye...
http://www.aeroplux.com/temp_post/CV63_36.jpg

You should have seen Wan Chai in the middle of the afternoon. It was like a saturday night with all the hookers out, they were tonning it.

By "Yau" from a Hong Kong photography forum :

USS John C. Stennis

#1
http://images4.fotop.net/albums4/yau312/cvn74/01DF7376.jpg

#2
http://images4.fotop.net/albums4/yau312/cvn74/01DF7393.jpg

#3
http://images4.fotop.net/albums4/yau312/cvn74/01DF7420.jpg

You always see the navy folk out in Wan Chai having a drink, and complaining about how expensive the drinks are.

They get quite the shock when I tell them that they're actually quite CHEAP in Wan Chai.

You always see the navy folk out in Wan Chai having a drink, and complaining about how expensive the drinks are.

They get quite the shock when I tell them that they're actually quite CHEAP in Wan Chai.

Alot of them hangout in Wan Chai because its close to the China Fleet Club

By wilsonjd9020 from a Hong Kong photography forum :

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11270-2/CVN74_07282007-044.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11285-2/CVN74_07282007-049.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11336-2/CVN74_07282007-066.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11288-2/CVN74_07282007-050.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11327-2/CVN74_07282007-063.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11372-2/CVN74_07282007-078.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11402-2/CVN74_07282007-088.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11405-2/CVN74_07282007-089.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11498-2/CVN74_07282007-120.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11486-2/CVN74_07282007-116.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11555-2/CVN74_07282007-139.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11693-2/CVN74_07282007-185.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11570-2/CVN74_07282007-144.jpg

http://fotoc.com/wilsonjd9020/d/11705-2/CVN74_07282007-189.jpg

Alot of them hangout in Wan Chai because its close to the China Fleet Club

Ah, that's why they're in Wan Chai.

That, or all the strip clubs...

Ah, that's why they're in Wan Chai.

That, or all the strip clubs...

to look for china mainlanders chickens!

Those lurk in Sham Shui Po.

Source : http://www.fotop.net/yau312

http://images4.fotop.net/albums4/yau312/cvn68/IMG_0291.jpg

http://images4.fotop.net/albums4/yau312/cvn68/IMG_0325.jpg

http://images4.fotop.net/albums4/yau312/ddg53/IMG_0318.jpg

By yah from a Hong Kong photography forum :

http://www.dchome.net/attachments/day_070824/20070824_ec780c4d08551a1f99a9afsetOkOzZz8.jpg

http://www.dchome.net/attachments/day_070824/20070824_a91ab0da850790bdbfeaq5XWoTayCvOH.jpg

http://www.dchome.net/attachments/day_070824/20070824_17a1d56298a50616fda02vuBwsVyJLeE.jpg

i wonder if the chinese gov't gets antsy every time an american carrier makes a port call to one of its cities.

Not really ... there have been quite a few ports of call from foreign fleets lately. The Americans are here quite often. The French were here not long ago, and even some Chinese boats have arrived now and then.

China to allow US carrier into Hong Kong after all

BEIJING, Nov 22 (Reuters) - China refused permission for a U.S. aircraft carrier and accompanying vessels to visit Hong Kong for a long-planned Thanksgiving holiday visit -- and then changed its mind.

The USS Kitty Hawk group and its crew of 8,000 airmen and sailors had been expected in Hong Kong on Wednesday, but the U.S. State Department said the visit had been blocked by China.

Hundred of relatives of crew members of the Kitty Hawk had flown to Hong Kong to celebrate Thanksgiving. Hong Kong, especially its Wanchai bar district, has been a regular port of call for U.S. sailors on "R & R" (rest and recuperation) since the Vietnam War.

The Chinese move came as a surprise just weeks after a visit to China by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, which he said he hoped would lead to a long-term dialogue.

But the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday the carrier would be allowed to dock in the former British colony after all.

"We have decided to allow the Kitty Hawk to stay in Hong Kong during Thanksgiving," spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference.

"It is a decision based on humanitarian considerations only."

He did not say why the ships had been blocked in the first place, but there are issues that may have prompted Beijing's action including U.S. plans to sell Taiwan a $940 million upgrade to its missile system and last month's meeting between U.S. President George W. Bush and the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist leader who Beijing considers a traitor.

Last year a Chinese submarine surfaced uncomfortably close to the Kitty Hawk near the Japanese island of Okinawa, an incident that highlighted the potential for friction between the two powers.

Beijing's move coincided with "airspace controls" introduced on Wednesday which the Xinhua news agency said affected the air travel plans of 7,000 people in south and east China.

The controls had been ordered for "unspecified reasons".

The Kitty Hawk, laid down in 1956, has the second longest active service of any ship in the U.S. navy after the USS Constitution, a 208-year-old ceremonial sailing ship kept in Boston Harbour.

It is the only conventionally fuelled carrier in the U.S. fleet and is due to be decommissioned next year. (Additional reporting by Lindsay Beck; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Navy Chief Surprised China Refuses Visit
27 November 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Navy's top admiral said Tuesday that China's refusal to permit a U.S. aircraft carrier to make a Thanksgiving port call at Hong Kong was surprising and disruptive and requires an explanation from the Chinese navy.

Adm. Gary Roughead, in his first Pentagon interview since becoming the chief of naval operations eight weeks ago, said he has no way of directly contacting his Chinese counterpart in Beijing.

The USS Kitty Hawk, which has its home port near Tokyo, was forced to return to Japan early when Chinese authorities at the last minute refused to let the warship and its escort vessels enter Hong Kong harbor.

"That was surprising and not helpful," Roughead said. "The Kitty Hawk had been planning to go in there and it was disruptive to many people's plans."

Roughead, who was commander of U.S. naval forces in the Pacific before he replaced Adm. Mike Mullen as chief of naval operations on Sept. 29, said he was even more troubled by China's refusal, several days prior to the Kitty Hawk incident, to permit two U.S. Navy minesweepers to enter Hong Kong harbor to escape an approaching storm and receive fuel. The minesweepers, the Patriot and the Guardian, were instead refueled at sea and returned safely to their home port in Japan, he said.

"As someone who has been going to sea all my life, if there is one tenet that we observe it's when somebody is in need you provide (assistance) and you sort it out later," the admiral said. "And that, to me, was more bothersome, so I look forward to having discussions with the PLA navy leadership," he said, referring to the People's Liberation Army.

Roughead said the Chinese actions would not stop the U.S. Navy from continuing to seek port visits to Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong remains a very welcoming place for our sailors to be when they get there and it remains one of the world's great cities where sailors for centuries have gone, and it's still part of the draw of why young men and women choose to do what we do. It will remain a port of interest," he said.

US commander calls for greater transparency from China's military
15 January 2008

BEIJING (AP) - The U.S. military's Asia-Pacific commander said Tuesday that China needs to be more open about its military plans, citing its denial of a port call for U.S. ships in Hong Kong as an example of its lack of transparency.

China has rapidly expanded its military in recent years, raising concerns in neighboring countries and in the United States, which voiced displeasure in November when Beijing rejected a Hong Kong port call by the USS Kitty Hawk and five ships accompanying it.

The same week, two U.S. Navy minesweepers also were turned away after seeking shelter during a storm.

"Increased transparency can yield to greater trust. That reduces the potential for misunderstanding, misunderstanding can lead to conflict or crisis, and that is very much not in our interest. We want peace and stability in the region," Adm. Timothy Keating, the head of the U.S. Pacific Command, told reporters Tuesday.

Keating was on a four-day visit to China, his second since taking up his post early last year.

His Hawaii-based Pacific Command oversees busy trade routes that feed China's booming economy and the potentially unstable strait separating Taiwan from mainland China.

Keating said he brought up the Kitty Hawk port call with Chinese military officials.

"We were unhappy that the visit was canceled, we have discussed it," he said, adding that the cancellation pointed to the "recurring theme -- the development of trust and confidence and transparency."

"Hong Kong for American servicemen and woman is one of the crown jewels and we are very anxious to ensure our ability to continue to visit Hong Kong," he said.

China has said the port call was denied because procedures were not followed -- but has not elaborated. But it has also hinted that its actions were triggered by the U.S. Congress' honoring of the Dalai Lama and U.S. arms sales to Chinese rival Taiwan.

China views the Dalai Lama as a "splittist" intent on separating Tibet from China, and views self-governing Taiwan as a breakaway province that it hopes to reclaim.

Gen. Chen Bingde, in charge of day-to-day operations for the 2.3 million-member People's Liberation Army, told Keating on Monday that "China is a country with its own territory."

"If your ship wants to stop by in Hong Kong you have to follow the international rules and go through some procedures," he said.

Keating said the Chinese military is developing "impressive capabilities" and the U.S. was concerned about long-range cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as anti-satellite technology and its use.

The changes are part of Beijing's double-digit percentage growth in its military spending annually for the past decade.

"If we don't see what it is they are developing we may tend to assume a little more serious or potentially destabilizing military capabilities," he said.

Keating said Chinese military officials told him they had no specific goals for their military apart from protecting their territory.

Keating stressed the need to increase the level, volume and sophistication of joint exercises in order to have a better "fundamental understanding" of China's military. The U.S. has asked China to join a multilateral exercise in May in Thailand and the Chinese have "entertained that," he said.

Keating was scheduled to go to Shanghai on Tuesday and then southern Guangdong province to visit a military base.

US plans Kitty Hawk visit to Hong Kong: report
Fri Mar 7, 9:39 AM ET

HONG KONG (AFP) - The United States is planning to send the USS Kitty Hawk to Hong Kong in April, five months after Beijing blocked a visit by the flagship aircraft carrier, the South China Morning Post here reported Friday.

Quoting unidentified sources, it said the US consulate in Hong Kong would pass on a request to Hong Kong authorities for permission for the Kitty Hawk and its battle group to visit.

The consulate declined to comment when contacted by AFP.

If the trip goes ahead, it would be the first since China barred the Kitty Hawk and its accompanying ships from Hong Kong last year, leaving thousands of servicemen unable to celebrate the annual Thanksgiving holiday with relatives who had flown over here.

The decision marked a low in diplomatic relations between the two nations, coming shortly after Washington gave an award to the Dalai Lama and upgraded weapons sales to Taiwan.

Beijing later agreed to let the carrier into Hong Kong, a port city with a thriving nightlife that has attracted sailors for decades, but Washington said it was too late as many of the relatives had left.

The South China Morning Post cited a source as saying the planned visit was "something of a test."

"Washington is confident there will be no problems, but defence officials will still be watching closely to see how the request is handled," one source was quoted as saying.

Earlier this week Washington said it was worried by the rapid build-up of China's military, while Beijing continues to express concern over US weapons sales to Taiwan.

US carrier group stops in Hong Kong, first since access spat

HONG KONG, April 3, 2008 (AFP) - The USS Nimitz arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday, the first port call here by an American aircraft carrier since another group was denied access over the Thanksgiving holiday.

About 7,000 sailors from the Nimitz and four accompanying warships sailed into the harbour, a spokeswoman at the US consulate in Hong Kong told AFP.

"The USS Nimitz arrived this morning. It will stay for a few days," she said.

China barred the USS Kitty Hawk and its accompanying ships from Hong Kong in November last year, leaving thousands of servicemen unable to celebrate the annual Thanksgiving holiday with relatives who had flown over to join them.

The decision marked a low in diplomatic relations between the two nations, coming shortly after Washington gave an award to the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and upgraded weapons sales to Taiwan.

Beijing later agreed to let the Kitty Hawk enter Hong Kong, a port city with a thriving nightlife that has attracted sailors for decades, but Washington said it was too late since many of the relatives had left.

Sailors had already started pouring off the ships into Hong Kong's bar district, Wanchai, on Thursday evening, an AFP reporter said.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said earlier this week the Nimitz had been granted permission to make port in Hong Kong.

The refusal last November led to efforts to defuse tensions between the two powers, with the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Timothy Keating, making a trip to Beijing to try and ease the spat.

Keating said in January in Hong Kong that he hoped his Beijing visit had improved relations. The two countries have clashed on issues ranging from food safety to the rapid build-up of China's military in recent months.

However, Keating reiterated his "disappointment" that the USS Kitty Hawk had been denied entry to the port over Thanksgiving, saying the Chinese decision "was an example of behaviour that was inappropriate by a major nation."

For its part, Beijing continues to express frustration at US weapons sales to Taiwan, which China still regards as part of its territory. It has threatened to retake Taiwan by force should it formally declare independence.

It has also condemned US President George Bush's welcoming of the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing accuses of fomenting dissent in the western Tibetan province.

Kitty Hawk to come calling this weekend
23 April 2008
South China Morning Post

Beijing has approved the USS Kitty Hawk battle group's visit to Hong Kong this weekend, the aircraft carrier's last port call to the city before it is decommissioned in September.

The carrier and up to six support vessels are due to anchor on Sunday to allow more than 7,000 crew members to rest for several days.

Neither the Foreign Ministry nor the US consulate in Hong Kong has commented on the visit.

But military sources confirmed that Beijing had granted approval in the past few days after the US consulate passed on a request from the Pentagon more than a month ago.

It is the battle group's first visit since Beijing refused it permission to enter local waters for Thanksgiving in November. The Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group was granted permission to visit early this month and the Blue Ridge, a command ship, visited Hong Kong in January.

Pentagon officials are quietly confident that the tensions that shrouded the Kitty Hawk's earlier rejection have eased and the military relationship between China and the US can continue to develop. Naval visits to Hong Kong are considered a routine part of that relationship, with the city hosting about 40 port calls a year.

"We are confident that things are returning to relative normality," one Pentagon official said. "We've always liked stopping in Hong Kong and we look forward to that continuing."

The last-minute rejection in November saw military ties fall to their lowest ebb since the collision between a US Navy spy plane and a PLA jet fighter over the South China Sea in 2001.

Hundreds of US military families had flown to Hong Kong to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with relatives from the ships. The battle group was circling just outside Hong Kong waters when the rejection came.

Beijing reversed its decision, but Washington said the reversal came too late and the ships steamed north through the Taiwan Strait.

Despite a visit to Beijing from the head of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Timothy Keating, Beijing has yet to confirm the reason for the rejection.

It came soon after moves by Washington to upgrade Patriot missile batteries in Taiwan and a meeting between US President George W. Bush and exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

Some US military families are expected to return to the city for next week's visit. Waterfront restaurants and Wan Chai bars are preparing for a surge in custom.

The Hong Kong stop will come during one of the last voyages of the 47-year-old Kitty Hawk, the oldest US naval ship and its last non-nuclear-powered carrier in service.

Stationed in Japan as part of the US Seventh Fleet, the Kitty Hawk is the only aircraft carrier based outside the US and has visited Hong Kong for many years.

Pentagon chiefs have repeatedly denied that, once decommissioned, it will be given to India as part of efforts to counter China's military build-up.

Carrier bags HK berth to end spat
Hong Kong Standard
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

The USS Kitty Hawk and its strike group finally dropped anchor in Hong Kong yesterday - bringing to an end a five-month diplomatic tiff between Washington and Beijing over an earlier refusal to allow it dock in the SAR.

For one of the aircraft carrier's marine engineers, Shanghai-born New Yorker Zhu Ying, the end of tension means she will be joining the crowd watching the Hong Kong leg of the Olympic torch relay on Friday.

When the carrier was refused permission for a long-planned Thanksgiving holiday visit in November last year, Zhu and her 7,000 fellow sailors lost out on a chance to meet with families who had flown to Hong Kong specially to see them.

But the resumed visit is a sign relations with Beijing are back on track, Rear Admiral Richard Wren of the US's fifth carrier strike group said.

"We're back on track, it's normal. I would say we're status quo," he said inside the Kitty Hawk's massive hangar.

Wren expects Beijing to allow around 40 US war ships to dock in Hong Kong this year, up slightly on last year.

R&R back on track as Kitty Hawk visits Hong Kong

HONG KONG, April 28 (Reuters) - The USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier docked in Hong Kong on Monday for the first time since Beijing banned a visit last November, with its rear admiral saying such U.S. navy port calls were now back on course.

The USS Kitty Hawk and strike group were refused permission by Beijing to dock in Hong Kong for a long-planned Thanksgiving holiday in November with hundreds of families having flown in for the occasion, sparking a diplomatic tiff.

The aircraft carrier's top brass said while the episode was a disappointment, the Kitty Hawk's belated arrival in the former British colony meant relations with Beijing were back on track.

"There's no hard feeling, ill will, at all," said Rear Admiral Richard Wren, who oversees the Kitty Hawk strike group.

"We're back on track, it's normal, I would say we're status quo," he told reporters inside the Kitty Hawk's massive hangar.

Wren said he expected Beijing to allow around 40 U.S. military ships to dock in Hong Kong this year, slightly more than the number last year, and that it would be "unusual and unexpected" if it didn't.

"Other than that one little hiccup with Kitty Hawk, if you look at the history of the last few years and then if you watch what happens for the next year, which is still in planning, I think you'll kind of go, that's just a little blip," Wren said.

Wren however said the United States still hadn't been given a clear explanation as to why the Kitty Hawk was turned away last year.

"We're not completely satisfied with the answer. We were never provided with a concise explanation of why," he said.

Beijing has claimed it was a misunderstanding.

The 47-year-old Kitty Hawk is America's oldest active warship. The Hong Kong visit will be its last overseas port visit before being decommissioned in the Bremerton naval shipyard, in Washington state, next January.

The Kitty Hawk will be replaced by the nuclear-powered USS George Washington in the western Pacific.

my share, taken May 1, 2008.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/jadebench/Hongkong%20Summer%2008/DSC00420.jpg

USS Kitty Hawk
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h209/jadebench/Hongkong%20Summer%2008/DSC00594.jpg

American warships docking in HK today
19 June 2008
South China Morning Post

The USS Ronald Reagan and other American naval ships will dock in Hong Kong today, unleashing thousands of crew onto the streets for a round of rest and relaxation.

A source said the nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, along with other battle group ships, would stay for less than a week.

During that time, the crew will shop, catch up with visiting family, and volunteer for local charities.

The US consulate refused to comment yesterday on the aircraft carrier's arrival for security reasons.

The stay is expected to generate millions for the local economy. Cindy Ovana, a waitress at the Bridge, a 24-hour bar in Wan Chai, said business soared by 70 to 80 per cent when large numbers of crew members visited.

Traditionally, a US naval port call means good relations between the Chinese and US militaries.

The Kitty Hawk and its battle group docked in April, five months after Beijing turned it away at the last minute.

The initial rejection saw military ties between the two countries sink to their lowest ebb since the collision between a US Navy spy plane and a PLA jet fighter over the South China Sea in 2001.

June 20, 2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/2593788563_64cda8f322_b.jpg

source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamlung/2593788563/in/set-161781/

US Navy sailors left behind in Hong Kong
24 June 2008

HONG KONG (AP) - About 100 American sailors were left behind in Hong Kong after a Navy aircraft carrier departed early because of weather concerns, an official said Tuesday.

The USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group left a day early Sunday as Typhoon Fengshen headed toward the territory, said Dale Kreisher, spokesman for the U.S. Consulate General.

The carrier attempted to recall all sailors enjoying shore leave in Hong Kong, but some were left behind.

"They have to go by the weather. The situation is that it looked like there was severe weather," Kreisher said.

U.S. officials were working to find flights to return the sailors to the carrier. He declined to say where the strike group -- made up of the Ronald Reagan, a cruiser, three destroyers and a frigate -- was heading, citing security reasons.

With about 6,000 sailors aboard, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived in Hong Kong last Thursday and had been scheduled to leave port Monday.

Typhoon Fengshen was threatening Hong Kong on Sunday, though its strength weakened to a tropical storm Tuesday.

It's not the first time sailors were left behind. In late December 2004, the USS Abraham Lincoln left port early to help with humanitarian efforts related to the Indian Ocean tsunami.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg263/bigcathk_video/DSC09270a.jpg

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg263/bigcathk_video/DSC09045a.jpg

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg263/bigcathk_video/DSC09038a.jpg

Source : http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg263/bigcathk_video/?start=all

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
Source : http://www.fotop.net/yau312

http://images4.fotop.net/albums4/yau312/cvn76/IMG_6771.jpg

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Taken from : http://www.dailyaviator.com/?m=200804

http://www.dailyaviator.com/images/2008-04/cv-63-hong-kong.jpg

Taken from : http://www.dailyaviator.com/?m=200804

http://www.dailyaviator.com/images/2008-04/cv-63-hong-kong.jpg

What a nice sight.

It kinda reminds me of that other US aircraft carrier that visited Hong Kong (it was on National Geographic Channel)

China approves US aircraft carrier's Hong Kong visit
11 February 2010
Agence France Presse

China has given the green light to the visit of a US aircraft carrier to Hong Kong, a US official said Thursday, amid strained Sino-US military ties over Washington's sale of arms to Taiwan.

News of the stop by the USS Nimitz, one of the world's largest warships, comes less than two weeks after China said it would suspend military and security contacts with Washington over the arms deal with Taipei.

"We have received clearance from China for the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to visit Hong Kong in the near future," a spokesman for the US consulate in the Chinese city told AFP.

"Hong Kong is a favourite port of call for US Navy sailors, and the ship's crew is looking forward to the visit."

The spokesman declined to confirm when the ship would dock. The South China Morning Post reported that it would arrive on February 17 and stay for several days.

China's defence ministry did not respond to requests for comment, while foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told AFP: "China's government is handling the US side's application in accordance with relevant procedures."

Tension has been building between the two countries over the Taiwan arms sale and US President Barack Obama's planned meeting with the Dalai Lama in Washington later this month.

Beijing has denounced Tibet's exiled spiritual leader as a separatist bent on independence for his Himalayan homeland.

The Pentagon last month unveiled a 6.4-billion-dollar arms package for Taiwan including Patriot missiles, Black Hawk helicopters and mine-hunting ships.

Beijing has charged that the package violated a US pledge to reduce arms sales to the island, which China considers part of its territory, awaiting reunification.

The last US arms package for Taiwan, announced under previous president George W. Bush in October 2008, led China to cut off military relations with the United States temporarily.

The Nimitz arrived in Kuala Lumpur for a four-day visit on February 7, according to the US Navy's website.

^^ Let see if they can actually make it into the Victoria Harbour.

^^ Let see if they can actually make it into the Victoria Harbour.

I'd think they'll park at the container port ...

I'd think they'll park at the container port ...

I thought the carrier is usually docked of shore, and runs shuttle to and from land.

Well... Beijing approved the US Navy to dock at HK last time, but turned down the approval when the carrier was just at the door step.
The political situation is probably even tighter this time with the Taiwanese military deal and Dali Lama, two topics that Beijing hates the most.

US warship on schedule in HK despite China tension

HONG KONG, Feb 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz sailed into Hong Kong on schedule on Wednesday despite a Chinese pledge to suspend military exchanges with the United States after its announced arms sales to Taiwan.

Speculation had swirled on whether China might prevent the Nimitz from visiting over the $6.4 billion arms sales and in retaliation for a planned meeting between the Dalai Lama and U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House on Thursday.

"For us, this is a routine port visit," said John Miller, the Commanding Officer and Rear Admiral of the Nimitz strike group.

"We had a request pending, and about a week or so ago it was approved and we've been on our way ever since," he told reporters aboard the aircraft carrier, which had sailed from Malaysia with four accompanying ships.

He offered no comment, however, when asked whether military exchanges would be held with China during the four-day visit.

Hong Kong has been a favourite destination for U.S. sailors on R&R since the Vietnam War. Some of the nearly 6,000 sailors in the strike group, anchored in the western reaches of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour on a cold and wet day, soon spilled ashore to the lively Wanchai bar district.

Tensions with Washington have arisen over issues from trade and currencies to the U.S. plan to sell $6.4 billion of weapons to self-ruled Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province.

Miller played down tensions, calling China a "like-minded nation" while praising its role in multilateral anti-piracy missions off the Horn of Africa.

"We're nations that don't always agree on a variety of issues, but can find agreement, and certainly counter-piracy is one of those examples," he said.

While U.S. warships have long made periodic port calls to the former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997, China has barred U.S. ships from entering at sensitive moments.

In 2007, the USS Kitty Hawk was denied entry to Hong Kong as it neared the city's waters for a Thanksgiving visit.

Analysts linked the refusal to then-U.S. President George W. Bush awarding the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal, one of the country's highest honours, to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader branded a separatist by China.

The Nimitz, whose home port is San Diego, recently completed a five-month tour of duty in the North Arabian Sea, where it supported U.S. operations in Afghanistan. The carrier group will resume its routine deployment in the Western Pacific.

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_12628/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=9KBnPTDV
US warships in Hong Kong in sign of easing tension
MIN LEE
Published: Yesterday

HONG KONG (AP) - Five American warships docked for a port call in Hong Kong on Wednesday in a sign that recent tensions between China and the U.S. may be easing after flare-ups over an arms sale to Taiwan and the Dalai Lama.

Carrying some 5,000 sailors, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and four other ships arrived in Hong Kong waters for a four-day rest stop after spending five months in the North Arabian Sea as a base for air combat missions in Afghanistan, the USS Nimitz public affairs office said in a statement.

Political analysts see Beijing's approval of the port call as an indication that the Chinese government doesn't want to let Sino-U.S. relations deteriorate further, hampering cooperation on the global economy and other issues.

With its abundance of foreigner-friendly restaurants, bars and shops, this former British colony has long been a favored stop for U.S. warships, and Beijing has continued the tradition after Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule.

China blocked a long-scheduled port call by the USS Kitty Hawk in November 2007 at the last minute, denying thousands of sailors a Thanksgiving reunion with families and friends who had flown to the city. Some analysts viewed the move as retaliation after the U.S. Congress awarded its highest civilian honor to the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetan Buddhist leader - whom Beijing views as a separatist - is also at the center of recent Sino-U.S. tensions. The Dalai Lama is scheduled to see President Barack Obama on Thursday in a meeting condemned by the Chinese. That meeting - along with trade disputes, alleged Chinese cyber-spying, and the announcement of a $6.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the self-ruled island China claims as its territory - have made for rough relations.

Yet Beijing has allowed the USS Nimitz carrier strike group to stop in Hong Kong - despite a threat to suspend military-to-military exchanges after the Taiwan arms sale. It also hasn't followed through on another threat to retaliate against U.S. companies involved in the sale.

The commander of the strike group declined to comment on the politics behind the port call on Wednesday.

"For us, this is a routine port visit," Rear Adm. John W. Miller told reporters. "We requested the port visit through normal channels and we're certainly delighted that we received permission from (China's) Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be able to come in."

It's unclear if Chinese military officials based in Hong Kong will visit the U.S. warships. Miller said he is hosting a reception on the ships Wednesday evening, but referred questions about the guest list to the U.S. consulate general in Hong Kong. Consulate general spokesman Matthew Dolbow said it is policy not to reveal guest names.

The visiting American sailors will tour Hong Kong Disneyland, the neighboring Chinese gambling enclave Macau and the southern Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Guangzhou, the USS Nimitz said in its statement.

The USS Nimitz, which is based in San Diego, California, is traveling with the USS Chosin, the USS Pinckney, the USS Sampson and the USS Rentz.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

http://m.apnews.com/media/content.htm;jsessionid=DFCD289C0EBB4FBC0D5D2CF495C68F21?c=363154390&width=185
U.S. Marine Mark Sashegyi of Miami,Fl., patrols in front of an aircraft onboard aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in Hong Kong water Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010. Carrying some 5,000 sailors, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and four other ships dock for a port call in Hong Kong in a sign that recent tensions between China and the U.S. may be easing after flare-ups over an arms sale to Taiwan and the Dalai Lama. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

海葬拉登航母抵港 恐襲威脅殺埋身
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2011年05月23日(一)

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負責海葬恐怖大亨拉登的美國核動力航空母艦卡爾文森號（USS Carl Vinson）戰鬥群昨抵港，令本港被恐襲陰霾籠罩近百小時。卡爾文森號昨晨在三艘導彈驅逐艦與巡洋艦及多艘本港水警輪護航下，進入大嶼山東面水域，警方高度戒備，在航母外圍部署快艇設立警戒線，又派出特警「水鬼隊」在美軍上岸的分域碼頭海面搜索；美軍官亦訓令士兵上岸消遣時要有同袍同行以策安全。戰鬥群指揮官海軍少將森姆佩雷斯不排除海葬拉登行動，已令戰鬥群成為恐襲目標，但相信本港警方及港府會把潛在威脅減至最低，保障艦隻及近七千名官兵安全。

卡爾文森號的甲板擺放了逾六十架F/A-18超級大皇蜂戰鬥機、E2C鷹眼早期預警機，並裝備了三座海麻雀導彈防空系統，屬尼米茲級核動力航母，本月初於阿拉伯海執行海葬拉登任務後，隨即到訪菲律賓，昨再抵港，今次是歷來第三度訪港，保安亦明顯加強。
駁船水警輪組防護網

航母昨安排本港傳媒參觀，記者登上駁船前需在分域碼頭核對身份，並需交出隨身物品經金屬探測器及X光檢查，單是碼頭上已有至少三名手持雷鳴登霰彈槍的保安人員戒備。

當駁船靠近航母時，保安更見嚴密，艦前至少有三艘駁船及兩艘水警輪組成防護網，以防未經批准小艇接近，艦上高位亦有持機槍的士兵站崗監視，航母登艦處更有數名持M-16自動步槍的哨兵把守。記者參觀過程也較以往的戰艦採訪為短，僅可在機庫及甲板稍作停留便須離開。

卡爾文森號除是拉登的海葬艦外，亦是擊斃拉登的海豹突擊隊行動平台，為免遭恐怖分子施襲，今次隨同訪港的「驅逐艦分隊」，包括防空及反潛能力強大的提康德羅加級導彈巡洋艦邦克山號（USS Bunker Hill）與夏洛號（USS Shiloh），以及伯克級導彈驅逐艦格瑞德利號（USS Gridley），以扇形排開包圍航母。
開雷達監察可疑船隻

據了解，美國海軍吸取了二○○○年也門亞丁港美國軍艦被自殺式小艇襲擊，導致六名士兵死亡的教訓，今次在本港停泊期間，艦艇部分雷達裝置仍會開啟，以監察港內可疑船隻。

對於外界擔心恐襲降臨本港，森姆佩雷斯指每日都有恐襲威脅，但相信香港警方會保護官兵及船隻安全，將威脅減至最低。至於卡爾文森號戰鬥群是否已成為恐襲目標，他表示不排除有此可能性。他拒透露海葬拉登的過程，僅指過去亦有為去世官兵進行海葬，通常會抽出一隊人負責。此外，記者昨查詢多名上岸官兵回應海葬拉登事件，各人均守口如瓶。
卡爾文森號（USS Carl Vinson）

服役日期：1982年3月13日

級　　別：尼米茲級核動力航空母艦

長　　度：1,092呎

寬　　度：252呎

排　水　量：95,000噸

時　　速：約30海里

武器裝備：逾60架F/A-18超級大皇蜂戰鬥機、E2C鷹眼早期預警機，3座海麻雀導彈防空系統

造　　價：38億美元（約296億港元）

Never knew an aircraft carrier costs so little... (3.8 billion USD only?)
I suppose it's the aircrafts and the accompanying fleet that hits the bill

Unladen sailors tell no tales
23 May 2011
The Standard

Sailors aboard the USS Carl Vinson said they only found out from the news that Osama bin Laden was buried at sea from their ship.

Crew of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which arrived in Hong Kong yesterday, claimed to be unaware of any special operation against the al-Qaeda leader until it was all over.

However they declined to discuss the issue in detail.

Commander of carrier strike group 1 Rear Admiral Samuel Perez would discuss neither bin Laden nor morale among sailors since his death.

"But as you expect, coming into Hong Kong their morale is very high."

For most on the carrier, May 1 - the day bin Laden was shot dead in Pakistan by US Navy SEALS - meant the usual tour of duty in the north Arabian Sea.

"I was probably patching someone's teeth," said dentist Lieutenant Chang.

She found out about the burial only after logging onto her computer and seeing the news.

Engineer Lawrence Mayer went about his day as usual and was unaware of the death until he saw the news on CNN that night.

"My jaw dropped," he said. "It was a great shock."

The carrier, which arrived from the Philippines, is accompanied by three other warships - the USS Gridley, the USS Bunker Hill and the USS Shiloh.

More than 7,000 sailors are expected to enjoy shore leave. Despite fears of terrorist attacks, Perez is "confident of the ability of the Hong Kong police."

He added: "The protection measures that we take here are the normal ones that we take with all liberty ports."

The danger of a terrorist attack may remain "moderate" but security has been beefed up.

Marine police patrol boats escorted the 95,000-tonne carrier to an anchorage east of Lantau Island.

With 61 fighter jets on board, the vessel is the length of nearly three football fields and is too big to enter Victoria Harbour. Additional speedboat patrols are being deployed off Lantau.

Boats without prior approval will be warned to turn back 200 meters from the vessel.

Divers from the marine police checked the waters off Fenwick Pier in Wan Chai, where sailors will disembark from water taxis.

Extra police are out in the bar areas of Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong.

The USS Carl Vinson will leave for her home port of San Diego on Wednesday.

Lee tries to ease fears over carrier port call
18 May 2011
The Standard

A port call by aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is still very much up in the air, according to Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong.

Lee said yesterday any port call by warships have to be approved by the Foreign Ministry, and the SAR government has yet to receive any notification that the Carl Vinson, from which al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was buried at sea, will be visiting.

The threat of a terrorist attack on Hong Kong remains moderate, he said, adding police constantly evaluate such risks.

``Some people fear the arrival of the warships may lead to terrorist attacks,'' Lee said.

``The police are taking the risk of such an attack in all seriousness and we have a detailed plan on how to deal with terrorists who plan to come to Hong Kong.''

He was at pains to ease fears, saying the territory's track record at deterring terrorist attacks is obvious.

``Hong Kong remains a safe place.''

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Beijing carefully reviews security problems when deciding on port calls.

The possible visit of the carrier this weekend has raised concern that it may be the target of revenge attacks by al- Qaeda militants and sympathizers.

A spokesman for the US consulate-general said: ``We have nothing to announce at this time with regard to future port visits by US Navy ships.''

On Monday, a drunken sailor was arrested for shattering a glass table at the JW Marriott, and hitting an employee.

Police later turned him over to the US Navy following talks with the Department of Justice and after the assault victim declined to pursue charges.

The San Diego-based nuclear submarine USS Hampton entered Hong Kong waters this week flanked by its tender, USS Frank Cable.

美航母抵港船員上網受限制
2011年11月10日(四)
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【本報訊】科技普及下，隨手上網任意馳騁似是理所當然，但美國海軍每日上網時間和可瀏覽的網頁均受限制，隨美國核動力航空母艦喬治華盛頓號抵港的港人船員吳梓謙便坦言，服役兩年來感受到當軍人的艱辛，除了試過工作連捱兩三個晚夜外，休息時想上網娛樂亦只可在指定時間進行，「上網有限制時間最多三小時，同埋（網頁）有過濾，以前淨係可以用到船上面嘅內聯電郵，係最近先可以上到雅虎、谷歌同facebook。」

船員有十名港人

喬治華盛頓號昨日由新加坡轉抵香港，進行五天訪問，船上五千名船員中，約有十名為移居美國的港人。他們對回港感到興奮，將會探訪家人和朋友並往各處遊覽，其中一人便是年僅二十歲的吳梓謙，他十二歲時移居美國三藩市讀書，高中畢業後便加入美國海軍。

吳梓謙昨稱，他希望藉着在海軍服役作為踏腳石，轉職當警察或陸軍，更表明日後希望回港加入香港警隊，但他無奈地說：「身上有紋身，唔知畀唔畀！」他上次回港已是○九年的事，故今次特別開心，期待陪家人食飯玩樂，並與朋友到處走走。在艦上服役五年多的港人船員江翠兒直言，「始終讀書最緊要」，因此完成六年服役後，便會攻讀營養學。

喬治華盛頓號船長David A. Lausman透露，今次訪港會邀請一千名香港市民上船參觀，並已安排船員參與十四項社區服務活動，與港人交流。他又指，喬治華盛頓號處於候命狀態，若泰國發出請求，艦隻可前往協助賑災。喬治華盛頓號九二年開始服役，排水量達九萬八千噸，是美國第一艘派駐日本的核動力艦艇。母艦○九年曾訪港，今次是第二次訪港，但不開放予公眾參觀。