Almost 50 years on from its commissioning date, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) departed Naval Base Kitsap on Mar. 21, 2025, for a deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
The Nimitz, now the oldest active aircraft carrier in the world, leads Carrier Strike Group 11 (CSG 11), comprising Destroyer Squadron 9 (DESRON 9) and Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17). DESRON 9 consists of four Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers: the USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), USS Gridley (DDG 101), USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123).
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier leaving Bremerton, Washington – March 21, 2025 #ussnimitz #cvn68
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— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) March 21, 2025
CVW-17 is made up of nine aircraft squadrons, with three operating the F/A-18E Super Hornet (VFA-22, VFA-94, VFA-137) and one flying the two-seater F/A-18F Super Hornet (VFA-146). VAQ-139 provides the air wing’s electronic warfare capability with the EA-18G Growler, while airborne early warning and control will be handled by E-2D Hawkeyes of VAW-121. Helicopter squadrons HSC-6 and HSM-73 operate the MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawks respectively, and the carrier onboard delivery (COD) role is fulfilled by Detachment 1 of VRC-30 with the venerable C-2A Greyhound.
With the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) heading to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility imminently to relieve the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), the Nimitz will likely take up the Vinson’s current spot operating in Southeast and East Asia. The U.S. Navy’s permanent forward deployed aircraft carrier in the region, USS George Washington (CVN 73) is currently docked in its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, undergoing periodic maintenance.
Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) conduct flight operations in the Sea of Japan, Mar. 8.
📸 MC3 Nate Jordan and MCSA Pablo Chavez#USNavy | #FlyNavy pic.twitter.com/lfGGZuWMMu
— 7th Fleet (@US7thFleet) March 19, 2025
Laid down in 1968, launched in 1972, and commissioned in 1975, the USS Nimitz was the second nuclear powered aircraft carrier built for the U.S. Navy and the first of ten carriers in the Nimitz class. Compared to the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise (CVN 65), the Nimitz class featured a much simplified powerplant comprising two Westinghouse A4W pressurized water nuclear reactors. The Enterprise, derived from conventional carrier designs, replaced each of the eight boilers with an individual A2W reactor.
The ship’s reactors were built to require only one refueling during the projected 50 year service life. This process, known as Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), takes several years and combines the refueling with a general refit and refurbishment of all ship systems. Nimitz began RCOH in 1998 and finished in 2001.
Initially planned to retire in 2025, this milestone was pushed back to May 2026, with the Nimitz due to move homeport to Norfolk, Virginia no later than Apr. 12, 2026. Decommissioning will take place at Newport News Shipyard, Virginia, where all U.S. nuclear aircraft carriers have been built and overhauled. This process will take many years, owing not only to the ship’s size but the delicate and complex nature of nuclear propulsion. Eight years after the Enterprise was decommissioned in 2017, the ship is still yet to be fully scrapped.
Former USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Enterprise-class aircraft carrier in Newport News, Virginia with future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) – February 16, 2025 #ussjohnfkennedy #ussenterprise #cvn65 #cvn79
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— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) February 17, 2025
Nimitz will eventually be replaced by Gerald R. Ford class carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). The Kennedy was launched in 2019 and is expected to be commissioned in 2025, although operational service will still certainly be some years away. This gap, though, is likely to be less significant than the one that spanned between the deactivation of the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in 2012 and the first full length operational deployment of replacement USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in 2023.
After the Kennedy, the next Gerald R. Ford class carrier will be the USS Enterprise (CVN 80), followed by the USS Doris Miller (CVN 81), USS William J. Clinton (CVN 82), and the USS George W. Bush (CVN 83). All of these carriers, including the Kennedy, will be delivered with the operational capability to deploy with the F-35C Lightning II. Current aircraft carriers, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, require modifications to accommodate the jet.
The Nimitz did see F-35Cs land on its deck during trials, and in fact saw the type’s first ever arrested landing on board an aircraft carrier. Nimitz, however, has not deployed with the F-35C operationally.
Venerable Veteran
Across 50 years of service, the Nimitz has seen extensive frontline operations, sailed millions of miles, and even became a movie star.
In the ship’s first few years of service, filming took place on board for The Final Countdown, released in 1980 and starring Kirk Douglas, Martin Sheen, and Katharine Ross. The movie follows the Nimitz as it encounters a mysterious electrical anomaly which, unbeknownst to the crew, transports the ship back to December 1941. Launching reconnaissance sorties to investigate a lack of communications, they discover Pearl Harbour intact and filled with Second World War era U.S. Navy battleships and the Japanese fleet to the north poised for its attack. The crew then wrestles with the temporal conundrum of whether or not to intervene and change the course of history.
This would not be Nimitz’s final contribution to Hollywood history, although the next one came from a very real situation. While operating with the USS Forrestal in the Mediterranean in 1981, two F-14 Tomcats from the Nimitz were engaged by two Su-22 Fitter fighters of the Libyan Air Force. Responding to the attack, the Tomcats returned fire and shot down both Libyan fighters. This incident, known as the Gulf of Sidra incident, inspired the final dogfight scene in the movie Top Gun.
During the 1990s, the Nimitz deployed for Operation Desert Storm as well as for the subsequent Operation Southern Watch. The ship’s second detachment on the latter operation took place during a round the world cruise, after which the Nimitz ended the journey in Norfolk, Virginia for its RCOH.
Emerging from overhaul, Nimitz deployed in March 2003 and launched aircraft for combat operations over both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2008, the aircraft carrier was overflown at low level while operating in the Pacific Ocean by two Russian Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers before they were escorted away by F/A-18 Hornets.
In 2017, Nimitz joined Operation Inherent Resolve and deployed aircraft on operations targeting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. During this deployment, Iraqi forces were assisted by allied close air support in the liberation of Tal Afar, which was a key victory against the terrorist group.
Finally, in 2023, Nimitz reached a historic milestone with the completion of its 350,000th arrested landing. An F/A-18F Super Hornet of VFA-22 completed the landing, piloted by commanding officer Luke Edwards.
