Captain of US aircraft carrier pleads for COVID-19 action
The captain of the Nimitz-class USS Theodore Roosevelt has written to US Navy leaders demanding extra resources and assistance to deal with an onboard outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The aircraft carrier is docked in Guam due to the outbreak.
In a four-page letter obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, Captain Brett Crozier warned that due to the limitations of space aboard the vessel, the 4,000-strong crew are not able to effectively socially isolate.
‘The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating,’ Crozier wrote, adding: ‘Removing the majority of personnel from a deployed US nuclear aircraft carrier and isolating them for two weeks may seem like an extraordinary measure… This is a necessary risk.’
Initial reports that three crew members tested positive for the virus emerged on 24 March but it has since been revealed that the number has risen to at least 100.
In a TV interview with CNN, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly revealed on 31 March that most of the crew will be removed, while maintaining sufficient crew to continue onboard ‘critical functions’. He added: ‘It’s very methodical. We’re absolutely accelerating it as we go.’
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power]()
Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power
As an indispensable energy crossroads, the Mediterranean is at serious risk from grey zone disruption. As navies increasingly employ AI data centres, what happens when cutting-edge defence technologies rely on the very infrastructure most susceptible to hybrid tactics?
-
![US Navy to conduct an experimentation campaign with emerging tech in 2026 and 2027]()
US Navy to conduct an experimentation campaign with emerging tech in 2026 and 2027
The Technology Operational Experimentation Events will inform future requirements as the US Navy looks for innovative solutions across three key operational domains.
-
![Future Canadian Continental Defence Corvette will provide “Halifax-equivalent capabilities”]()
Future Canadian Continental Defence Corvette will provide “Halifax-equivalent capabilities”
Although the CDC project is still in its early stages, the Canadian Department of National Defence already has some requirements for the future platforms.
-
![US Navy to acquire micro-uncrewed underwater vehicles for ISR and coastal data collection]()
US Navy to acquire micro-uncrewed underwater vehicles for ISR and coastal data collection
The Naval Supply Systems Command is seeking authorised resellers of JaiaBot uncrewed underwater vehicles and multivehicle pods. The platforms will support undergraduate education at the US Naval Academy.
-
![NATO tests use of “undetectable, jam-proof” laser communication in maritime scenarios]()
NATO tests use of “undetectable, jam-proof” laser communication in maritime scenarios
As part of its effort to better prepare its capabilities for operations in contested and congested scenarios, NATO evaluated a Lithuanian ship-to-ship terminal designed to not be susceptible to enemy interference.
