CHANIA – The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) on Thursday docked at NATO pier K14 inside the Gulf of Souda, near Chania, Crete.

The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is the tenth and final Nimitz-class supercarrier of the United States Navy. She is named for the 41st President of the United States and former Director of Central Intelligence George H. W. Bush, who was a naval aviator during World War II. Construction began in 2003 at the Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard’s Dry Dock 12, the largest in the western hemisphere. She was completed in 2009 at a cost of 6.2 billion US dollars and her home port is Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.

The supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush measures 1,092 feet (333 m) and displaces over 100,000 tons, making her one of the world’s largest warships (though she is slightly shorter than USS Enterprise). Her top speed exceeds 30 knots; powered with two nuclear reactors, she can operate for more than 20 years without refueling. Her crew numbers 3.500 members and an additional 2,500 persons for the support of the aircraft she carries, as she can host up to 85 fighter jets, airborne radar aircraft, electronic warfare aircraft and helicopters.

The vessel is expected to remain in Souda until October 10.