This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission.
In his last week in office, U.S. President Joe Biden has named two aircraft carriers being built after former presidents – the USS William J. Clinton and USS George W. Bush, the White House said in a statement.
Construction of the two carriers will begin “in the years ahead,” it said. “When complete, they will join the most capable, flexible, and professional Navy that has ever put to sea.”
The new carriers are part of a plan to boost American naval power.
The U.S. Navy has 11 aircraft carriers, all nuclear-powered, by far the largest fleet in the world. Rivals China and Russia have three and one, respectively.
With about 290 ships now, the U.S. Navy wants to expand the total fleet to 381 in coming years, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Biden Administration has not explicitly endorsed that 381-ship objective.
“When I personally delivered the news to Bill and George, they were deeply humbled,” said Biden in the statement. “Each knows first-hand the weight of the responsibilities that come with being commander-in-chief.”
Named after presidents
Most U.S. aircraft carriers are named after former presidents. Bill Clinton was the 42nd U.S. president, serving two terms from 1993 to 2001.
During his time in office, Clinton ordered a naval deployment to respond to the Third Taiwan crisis in 1996, as well as air strikes against Iraq in 1998 to degrade its capabilities to manufacture weapons of mass destruction.
His successor, Bush, launched a global effort against terrorism following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and waged wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to defeat what Washington considered “two of the world’s most brutal and aggressive regimes.”
There is already a carrier named after Bush’s father, George W.H. Bush, who was president from 1989-1992.
US aircraft carriers
The U.S. Navy regularly deploys two or three carriers in the Indo-Pacific amid rising regional tensions.
“Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s naval forces,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in response to the naming of the two carriers.
“They ensure that the United States can project power and deliver combat capability anytime, anywhere in defense of our democracy.”
A Congressional Research Service’s report on the Ford-class aircraft carrier program said that the scheduled deliveries of several shipbuilding programs would be delayed approximately 18 to 26 months.
