It takes millions of man-hours and nearly five years to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. There are many construction milestones that happen along the way - starting with the laying of the keel and ending with delivery to the Navy. Below are some of the milestones for the George H. W. Bush.

Island House - Scheduled for July 8, 2006

Upper Bow Lift - March 15, 2006
The nation's tenth and final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), grew by nearly 800 tons as Northrop Grumman Newport News lowered the upper bow section of the ship into place. It joins the lower bow section which was set into place in the dry dock in 2005. For more information, click here.

Lower Bow Lift - March 8, 2005
Northrop Grumman Newport News reached a construction milestone on March 8, 2005, by lowering the final keel section of the George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) aircraft carrier into place. The 700-ton lower bow unit was joined to the other keel sections in the dry dock and completes the length of the carrier, which is as long as the Empire State Building is tall. For more information, click here.

Keel Laying - September 6, 2003
Northrop Grumman Newport News commemorated the laying of the ship’s keel, the traditional beginning of the ship’s life, on September 6, 2003. President George H. W. Bush, the ship’s namesake, served as the keel authenticator. For more information about the ceremony, click here.

CVN 77 Naming Ceremony - December 9, 2002
The U.S. Navy’s 10th Nimitz-class aircraft carrier was officially named George H.W. Bush at a ceremony held in the Pentagon. For more information, click here.

More milestones will be added as they occur.