USS Nimitz Archives

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The USS Nimitz Is Set to Retire Next Spring after 52 Years — but the Ford-Class Aircraft Carrier Meant to Replace Her Is Running Years Behind

Summary and Key Points: The USS Nimitz, commissioned in 1975, is scheduled to decommission next spring after nearly 52 years of service — even...

Steve Balestrieri6 days ago

U.S. Navy Lt. Miguel Smith launches an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to the "Pukin Dogs" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143, from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) May 7, 2026. Eisenhower is underway conducting flight deck certification in the Atlantic Ocean in preparation for future operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jamison Sutton)

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U.S. Navy Nuclear Aircraft Carrier USS Nimitz Is Flexing Near Cuba

The Justice Department charged former Cuban President Raúl Castro and other Cuban officials with murder for their roles in the February 24, 1996, shoot-down...

Steve BalestrieriMay 26, 2026

PACIFIC OCEAN (Jan. 18, 2017) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) transits the Pacific Ocean. Carl Vinson is on a scheduled western Pacific deployment with the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group as part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet-led initiative to extend the command and control functions of the U.S. 3rd Fleet in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan K. Serpico/Released)

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The U.S. Navy Soon Might Be ‘Breaking the Law’ on Aircraft Carriers Mandated by Congress

Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Navy is set to retire the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in May 2026, marking the end of a legendary...

Georgia GilholyFebruary 19, 2026

Pacific Ocean (November 3, 2003) -- During Tiger Cruise aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing Eleven personnel participate in a flag unfurling rehearsal with the help of fellow tigers on the flight deck. The Nimitz Carrier Strike Force and Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) are in route to Nimitz homeport of San Diego, California after an eight-month deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer Mate 3rd Class Elizabeth Thompson

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Navy Mistake: The USS Nimitz Aircraft Carrier Can’t Be Retired Now

Synopsis: The U.S. Navy faces a high-stakes decision as the USS Nimitz approaches its scheduled 2026 retirement. -After 50 years of service, the Navy’s...

Brent M. EastwoodFebruary 11, 2026

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

The U.S. Navy Has a New Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier Headache It Can’t Fix

Summary and Key Points: The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier remains the backbone of American naval dominance, even as the Ford-class enters the fray. However, these...

Kris OsbornFebruary 11, 2026

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 9, 2012) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transits the Pacific Ocean. John C. Stennis is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility while on a seven-month deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kenneth Abbate/Released) 120209-N-OY799-056

Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More

Nuclear U.S. Navy ‘Supercarrier’ USS Nimitz Will Never Go on ‘Active Duty’ Ever Again

The End of an Era: USS Nimitz Prepares for 2026 Decommissioning Summary and Key Points: -The U.S. Navy’s oldest active nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the...

Jack BuckbyFebruary 7, 2026