The US Navy plans to buy a new aircraft carrier in FY07 designated CVNX1 which would have new technologies. Some of its features include a new power plant (300% more power), electro-magnetic catapults, and a crew reduction of about 400. Because the Admirals really want the aircraft carrier after that (the FY09 CVNX2), the Navy has decided to bring some of the CVNX2's technology forward two years and install it on the CVNX1. This includes improved ammunition handling, "one stop" (fuel and weapons) servicing for aircraft on the flight deck, an integrated power system that could handle future energy-based weapons, an even smaller crew, an electro-magnetic aircraft recovery system (to replace the old wires and tailhooks), and other improvements. CVNX1 is to use a slightly modified Nimitz-class hull while CVNX2 will use an entirely different hull, perhaps one with a double-level flight deck (launch from lower flight decks along each side, land on a straight flight deck at the original height).--Stephen V Cole