The Kitty Hawk class supercarriers of the United States Navy were an incremental improvement on the Forrestal-class vessels. Three were built, all in the first half of the 1960s:
The biggest differences from the Forrestals are greater length, and a different placement of elevators; two are forward of the island, with a third at the portside stern.
Each was built at a different shipyard.
Kitty Hawk and Constellation were later updated in an SLEP program; but America was scheduled for a few years later than her sisters, at a time of budget cuts, and was decommissioned in 1996.
John F. Kennedy (CV-67) is similar, but has enough differences that it is usually placed in its own class.
Last updated: 05-21-2005 02:15:24
