Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt anchors off Hampshire coast after arriving into UK

She weighs in at an impressive 100000 tons and is longer than The Shard is tall. And today the mammoth USS Theodore Roosevelt was anchored just off the coast of Hampshire because she was simply 'too big' to sail into the Royal Navy's historic Portsmouth dockyard. Thousands of stunned spectators jammed roads and lined the banks of the River Solent to welcome the 1,092ft-long floating city as it arrived for a five-day visit to the UK on the first stop of a global deployment. While a debate rages in the UK over the Government's failure to commit to the Nato target of spending two per cent of GPD on defence, the Roosevelt is a potent symbol of American military might. With 90 aircraft on board, the ship can operate for up to 25 years at over unlimited distances, projecting US air power around the globe. She can go three months without resupply and her two giant nuclear reactor generate enough power for a small city. One social media user wrote: 'Most ships get measures in metres, this one comes in acres!' Another joked in reference to recent increased tensions between the West and Russia: 'Wonder if any Russian bombers will fly up the Channel this week?' Brian and Jacqui Rodgers, who travelled from Dorset to see the 30-year-old carrier arrive at Stokes Bay, said they were 'very impressed' by the ship. Mr Rodgers told The News local paper: 'It's a slumbering giant. I guess it's one of the biggest carriers in the world. 'It's a bit like watching a floating town arrive off the coast.' Mrs Rodgers added: 'It's massive. When you see a sailing boat by go by the side of it you realise how huge it is.' And with more than 5,000 American sailors due to disembark from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for shore leave while it is moored in Stokes Bay, Gosport, the local economy is set for an estimated £1.5million boost. The city's bars, clubs, restaurants and visitor attractions are bracing themselves for a massive footfall when the sailors hit dry land during their ship's five-day visit. Nightclub Tiger Tiger located on the banks of Portsmouth Harbour is opening its doors at 9am during the week to put on English breakfasts. The mighty ship, which is making its first port of call during a round-the-world deployment, is much larger than the Royal Navy's next generation of carriers, The Prince of Wales and Queen Elizabeth, which weigh in at 65,000 tonnes when they finally become operational. Among Roosevelt's crew are six Royal Navy aircraft handlers who are honing their skills before serving aboard the new Royal Navy carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, which enters service in 2017. The carrier's escort ship, the guided missile destroyer Winston S Churchill, was able to dock at Portsmouth. She traditionally carries a UK navigator to honour the ship's British connection with the post currently held by 27-year-old Lieutenant Lynsey Sewell. Welcoming the U.S. ship, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said last night: 'The USS Theodore Roosevelt's visit shows yet again that UK/US relations are as close as ever. Ten days ago, I was the first of his counterparts to meet incoming Defence Secretary Ash Carter. 'Having the Roosevelt in Portsmouth today is yet another example of the world's broadest, deepest and most enduring defence relationship at work. I'm thrilled to be going aboard today to welcome the crew personally.'