Gosport Ferry Company and Blue Funnel cruise vessels are being used as liberty boats.

In all reality it's just as well, the Navy started using the Tomcat in 1974, and production concluded in 1991. Carrier takeoffs and landing are extremely hard on aircraft, so for carrier pilots flying something 25 years old would be a real danger.
Kind Regards, Kyle

It looks like a Gosport ferry at the stern

Thank you for those informations. Shame about the Tomcat though. America produces some amazing hardware.Just a shame it's all sitting out there in the desert now.

Tomcats have been out of service with the US Navy for a number of years. The planes on deck are F-18 Hornets, with a few EA-18 Growler electronic warfare variants mixed in. The radar dishes of a couple of E-2 Hawkeyes are also visible.
Kind Regards, Kyle

Looks even better in full screen !! Brilliant picture. What are those planes on the deck? Tomcats?

Thank you John, 50 years is hopefully enough time for her to make a few more visits to Portsmouth. She and her sisters will always be welcome here!

Neil

Ranger was an oil burner vs a nuke. The Roosevelt will be around for 50 years like the Enterprise and the Ranger.

Great picture Neil.

I don't wish to be negative but I really can't envisage her being towed off to the breakers in 20-30 years (unlike the USS Ranger CV61 recently).