Biden Announces Next Aircraft Carriers Will Be Named Clinton And Bush

The nation’s next two aircraft carriers will feature the names of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, President Joe Biden announced Monday in a bipartisan salute that might irritate the next occupant of the White House.

The new, nuclear-powered carriers will be officially named the USS William J. Clinton and the USS George W. Bush when they enter service in the mid-2030s, the White House said in an announcement.

Biden said in the statement that he personally delivered the news to “Bill and George.”

It’s a traditional honor for former presidents but somewhat unusual decision since Bush’s appearance on an aircraft carrier marked an awkward point of his tenure — when he made a speech on board the USS Abraham Lincoln in front of a “Mission Accomplished” banner in May 2003 to incorrectly proclaim major combat over in Iraq.

Construction has yet to begin on the two ships, which will replace several carriers that are nearing their 50th birthday and which will need replacement in the next decade.

The Navy currently has 11 carriers in the fleet, with three more in various stages of construction.

The ships will be the latest to enter the fleet as part of the new class of Gerald R. Ford carriers, which are bigger and more capable than the aging Nimitz-class ships that began entering the fleet in the 1970s. The first of a planned 10 Ford carriers saw its first deployment from May 2023 to January 202, which included operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

The newer carriers are faster than the older Nimitz ships, while also requiring hundreds of fewer sailors to crew them due to new technologies and easier software updates and other automation.

In addition to the Ford, the John F. Kennedy is slated to be delivered to the Navy later this year.

The new Bush vessel will join the George HW Bush, which entered service in 2009.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that aircraft carriers “are the centerpiece of America’s naval forces,” and the ships will “serve as lasting tributes to each leader’s legacy in service of the United States.”