Nimitz-class aircraft carrier#Ships in class
{{Short description|US Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier class}}
{{Redirect|Nimitz Class|1997 novel|Nimitz Class (novel)}}
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| infobox caption = Nimitz-class aircraft carrier }} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = USS Nimitz in Victoria Canada 036.jpg | Ship caption = {{USS|Nimitz}} (CVN-68), lead ship of the class of supercarriers, at sea near Victoria, British Columbia, after the 1999–2001 refit }} {{Infobox ship class overview | Name = Nimitz-class aircraft carrier | Builders = Newport News Shipbuilding Company | Operators = {{naval|United States}} | Class before = * {{sclass|Kitty Hawk|aircraft carrier|4}} and
| Class after = {{sclass|Gerald R. Ford|aircraft carrier|4}} | Subclasses = * Theodore Roosevelt class and | Cost = US$1.98 billion in 1975 (${{Inflation|US-GDP|8.5|2012|r=1}} billion in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}}){{Inflation/fn|US-GDP}} | Built range = 1968–2006 | In service range = 1975–present | In commission range = 3 May 1975–present | Total ships building = | Total ships planned = 10 | Total ships completed = 10 | Total ships in commission = 10 | Total ships active = 10 | Total ships laid up = | Total ships lost = | Total ships retired = | Total ships preserved = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = Aircraft carrier | Ship tonnage = | Ship displacement = {{Convert|100000|to(-)|104600|LT|MT}} full loadPolmar 2004, p. 112 | Ship length = {{Nimitz class aircraft carrier length}} | Ship beam = {{Nimitz class aircraft carrier beam}} | Ship height = | Ship draft = {{Nimitz class aircraft carrier draught}} | Ship depth = | Ship hold depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = {{Nimitz class aircraft carrier propulsion}} | Ship sail plan = | Ship speed = {{Nimitz class aircraft carrier speed}} | Ship range = {{Nuclear ship range}} | Ship endurance = | Ship boats = | Ship capacity = | Ship troops = | Ship complement = {{Nimitz class aircraft carrier complement}} | Ship crew = 5,000–5,200 (including airwing) | Ship time to activate = | Ship sensors = {{Nimitz class aircraft carrier sensors I}} | Ship EW = {{Nimitz class aircraft carrier EW}} | Ship armament = * 2–3 × Mk 29 Guided Missile Launching Systems, 8 × RIM-162 ESSM or RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles each
| Ship armor = {{convert|2.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} Kevlar over vital spaces{{cite book |title=Aircraft carriers: an illustrated history of their impact |last=Fontenoy |first=Paul E. |year=2006 |publisher=ABC-CLIO Ltd |isbn=978-1-85109-573-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/aircraftcarriers00font/page/n358 349] |url=https://archive.org/details/aircraftcarriers00font|url-access=limited}} | Ship aircraft = 85–{{Nimitz class aircraft carrier aircraft}} | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
The Nimitz class is a class of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the United States Navy. The lead ship of the class is named after World War II United States Pacific Fleet commander Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, who was the last living U.S. Navy officer to hold the rank. With an overall length of {{convert|1092|ft|m|abbr=on}} and a full-load displacement of over {{convert|100000|LT}}, the Nimitz-class ships were the largest warships built and in service until {{USS|Gerald R. Ford}} entered the fleet in 2017.{{Cite web |url=https://list25.com/25-largest-warships-in-history/5/ |title=25 Largest Warships In History |publisher=Science & Technology |date=April 5, 2017 |access-date=April 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412001336/https://list25.com/25-largest-warships-in-history/5/ |archive-date=12 April 2018 |url-status=live}}
Instead of the gas turbines or diesel–electric systems used for propulsion on many modern warships, the carriers use two A4W pressurized water reactors. The reactors produce steam to drive steam turbines which drive four propeller shafts and can produce a maximum speed of over {{convert|30|kn|lk=in}} and a maximum power of around {{convert|260000|shp|MW|lk=in}}. As a result of nuclear power, the ships are capable of operating for over 20 years without refueling and are predicted to have a service life of over 50 years. They are categorized as nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and are numbered with consecutive hull numbers from CVN-68 to CVN-77.The letters "CVN" denote the type of ship: "CV" is the hull classification symbol for aircraft carriers, and "N" indicates nuclear-powered propulsion. The number after the "CVN" means that this is the 68th "CV", or large aircraft carrier.
All ten carriers were constructed by Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Virginia. {{USS|Nimitz}}, the lead ship of the class, was commissioned on 3 May 1975, and {{USS|George H.W. Bush}}, the tenth and last of the class, was commissioned on 10 January 2009. Since the 1970s, Nimitz-class carriers have participated in many conflicts and operations across the world, including Operation Eagle Claw in Iran, the Gulf War, and more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The angled flight decks of the carriers use a CATOBAR arrangement to operate aircraft, with steam catapults and arrestor wires for launch and recovery. As well as speeding up flight deck operations, this allows for a much wider variety of aircraft than with the STOVL arrangement used on smaller carriers. An embarked carrier air wing comprising around 64 aircraft is normally deployed on board. The air wings' strike fighters are primarily F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets. In addition to their aircraft, the vessels carry short-range defensive weaponry for anti-aircraft warfare and missile defense.
The unit cost was about US$8.5 billion in FY 2012 dollars, equal to US${{Inflation|US-GDP|8.5|2012|r=1|fmt=c}} billion in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}.{{Inflation/fn|US-GDP}}
Description
The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers have a length of {{convert|1092|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall and {{convert|1040|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} at the waterline, with a beam of {{convert|252|ft|m|abbr=on}} overall and {{convert|134|ft|m|abbr=on}} at the waterline; the individual ships have slight variations in their dimensions. They were initially designed with a full-load displacement of {{convert|87000|LT|MT ST}} and a draft of {{convert|37|ft|m|abbr=on}}, but the ships would be delivered several thousand tons heavier, particularly for later members of the class. As the vessels were overhauled and installed more equipment, loaded displacement would climb to exceed {{convert|100000|LT|MT ST}}. For example, {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|CVN-72|6}} currently displaces {{convert|104112|LT|MT ST}} at full load.{{cite web|url= https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/91342/49898754-MIT.pdf;sequence=2|title=An Alternate Method for the Determination of Aircraft Carrier Limiting Displacement for Strength |publisher=dspace.mit.edu|date=June 2001|access-date=27 May 2022}} The ships' nominal complement comprises: 3,000–3,200; 1,500 (air wing); and 500 (other).
=Design=
The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers were ordered to supplement the aircraft carriers of the {{sclass|Midway|aircraft carrier|5}}, {{sclass|Forrestal|aircraft carrier|5}}, {{sclass|Kitty Hawk|aircraft carrier|5}} and {{sclass|Enterprise|aircraft carrier|4}}es, maintaining the strength and capability of the U.S. Navy after the older carriers were decommissioned. The ships were designed to be improvements on previous U.S. aircraft carriers, particularly the Enterprise and {{sclass|Forrestal|aircraft carrier|0}} supercarriers, although the arrangement of the vessels is relatively similar to that of the Kitty Hawk class.Polmar 2004, p. 113 Among other design improvements, the two reactors on Nimitz-class carriers take up less space than the eight reactors used on Enterprise. Along with a more generally improved design, Nimitz-class carriers can carry 90% more aviation fuel and 50% more ordnance when compared to the Forrestal class.Labayle Couhat 1980, p. 630
The U.S. Navy has stated that the carriers could withstand three times the damage sustained by the {{sclass|Essex|aircraft carrier|4}} inflicted by Japanese air attacks during World War II.{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Ships |last=Gibbons |first=Tony |year=2001 |publisher=Amber Books |location=London, United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-905704-43-9 |page=444}} The hangars on the ships are divided into three fire bays by thick steel doors that are designed to restrict the spread of fire. This addition has been present on U.S. aircraft carriers since World War II, after the fires caused by kamikaze attacks.{{cite book|title=Aircraft Carrier Flight and Hangar Deck Fire Protection: History and Current Status |last1=Darwin |first1=Robert |last2=Bowman |first2=Howard |last3=Hunstad |first3=Mary |last4=Leach |first4=William |last5=Williams |first5=Frederick |year=2005 |url=http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA432176 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202092111/http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA432176 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 December 2010 |page=10 |publisher=Defense Technical Information Center |access-date=1 July 2011}}
The first ships were designed around the time of the Vietnam War, and certain aspects of the design were influenced by operations there. To a certain extent, the carrier operations in Vietnam demonstrated the need for increased capabilities of aircraft carriers over their survivability; they were used to send sorties into the war and were, therefore, less subject to attack. As a result of this experience, Nimitz-class carriers were designed with larger stores of aviation fuel and larger magazines compared to previous carriers, although this was partly a result of increased space available by the new design of the ships' propulsion systems.Friedman 1983, p. 316
A major purpose of the carriers was initially to support the U.S. military during the Cold War. They were designed with capabilities for that role, including using nuclear power instead of oil for greater endurance and the ability to adjust their weapons systems on the basis of new intelligence and technological developments.Jim Wilson "21st Century Carrier Force" Popular Mechanics October 1998, pp. 58–66 They were initially categorized only as attack carriers, but ships have been constructed with anti-submarine capabilities since {{USS|Carl Vinson|CVN-70|6}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/ARCHIVE/2003/JULY/Pages/7th_Fleet3817.aspx |title=7th Fleet Experiment Probes Navy's Near-Term Concerns |author=Sandra I. Erwin |date=July 2003 |publisher=National Defense Industrial Association |access-date=31 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202024729/http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/ARCHIVE/2003/JULY/Pages/7th_Fleet3817.aspx |archive-date=2 December 2010 |df=dmy-all}}{{cite web |url=http://www.navyleague.org/sea_power/sep_03_12.php |title=Navy Should Bolster Crisis Planning for Theater ASW |author=Patricia Kime |date=September 2003 |publisher=Navy League of the United States |access-date=31 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305125731/http://www.navyleague.org/sea_power/sep_03_12.php |archive-date=5 March 2010 |df=dmy-all}} As a result, the ships and their aircraft can participate in a wide range of operations, including sea and air blockades; mine laying; and missile strikes on land, air, and sea.
Because of a design flaw, ships of this class have inherent lists to starboard when under combat loads that exceed the capability of their list control systems. The problem appears to be especially prevalent on some of the more modern vessels. This problem has been previously rectified by using damage control voids for ballast, but a solution using solid ballast that does not affect the ship's survivability has been proposed.Wolfson, Dianna. "[https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/33439 A Solution to the Inherent List on Nimitz Class Aircraft Carriers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821145845/http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/33439|date=21 August 2018}}" MIT thesis 2004
File:Artist's impression of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in 1968.jpg|An artist's impression of USS Nimitz in 1968
File:US Navy 031130-N-3653A-002 USS George Washington (CVN 73) Carrier Strike Group formation sails in the Atlantic Ocean.jpg|George Washington Carrier Strike Group formation sails in the Atlantic Ocean
=Construction=
All ten Nimitz-class carriers were constructed between 1968 and 2006 at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. The first three units of the class were erected in Dry Dock 11, the other seven ships were constructed in the largest dry dock in the western hemisphere, Dry Dock 12, now {{convert|2172|ft|m}} long after a recent expansion.{{citation_needed|date=August 2019}}
Beginning with {{USS|Theodore Roosevelt|CVN-71|6}}, the aircraft carriers were manufactured with modular construction. This means that whole sections could be welded together with plumbing and electrical equipment already fitted, improving efficiency. The modules were lifted into the dry dock using gantry cranes and welded. In the case of the bow sections, these can weigh over {{convert|1500000|lb|tonne}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/products/geraldrfordclass/construction/index.html |title=CVN 78 Construction & Facilities |publisher=Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding |access-date=30 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107050658/http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/products/geraldrfordclass/construction/index.html |archive-date=7 January 2010 |df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/bush/docs/Facts_about_CVN_77.pdf |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5qB8plOHX?url=http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/bush/docs/Facts_about_CVN_77.pdf |archive-date=2 June 2010 |title=George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Christening |date=7 October 2006 |publisher=Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding |access-date=30 May 2010 |url-status=dead}} This method was originally developed by Ingalls Shipbuilding and increases the rate of work because much of the fitting out does not have to be carried out within the confines of the already-finished hull.{{cite web|url=http://www.northropgrumman.com/heritage/index.html |title=Our Heritage: Litton Industries |publisher=Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding |access-date=30 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316174653/http://www.northropgrumman.com/heritage/index.html |archive-date=16 March 2010}}
The total cost of construction for each ship was around $4.5 billion.All monetary values are adjusted for inflation to 2000s figures{{cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/navycvn21.htm |title=Navy CVN-21 Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress |author=Ronald O'Rourke |year=2005 |publisher=US Department of the Navy |access-date=18 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061201055019/http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/navycvn21.htm |archive-date=1 December 2006}}
=Propulsion=
File:USS George Washington (CVN-73) propeller.jpg
All ships of the class are powered by two A4W nuclear reactors, housed in separate compartments. The reactors produce heat through nuclear fission, which heats water to produce steam. This is then passed through four turbines, which are shared by the two reactors. A gearbox transmits power to four propeller shafts, producing a maximum speed of over {{convert|30|kn|km/h}} and maximum power of {{convert|260000|bhp|MW|lk=in|0}}. The turbines power the four bronze propellers, each with a diameter of {{convert|25|ft|m}} and a weight of {{convert|66000|lb|MT}}. Behind these are the two rudders, which are {{convert|29|ft|m}} high and {{convert|22|ft|m}} long, and each weighs {{convert|110000|lb|MT|abbr=off}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.public.navy.mil/usff/nctamspac/Pages/AboutUs.aspx |title=Information About Us |date=14 October 2009 |publisher=U.S. Navy |access-date=24 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203050328/http://www.public.navy.mil/usff/nctamspac/Pages/AboutUs.aspx |archive-date=3 December 2010}}
The Nimitz-class ships constructed since {{USS|Ronald Reagan|CVN-76|6}} also have bulbous bows to improve speed and fuel efficiency by reducing wave-making resistance.{{cite book |title=A Methodology for Estimating the Effect of Aircraft Carrier Operational Cycles on the Maintenance Industrial Base: Technical Report |last1=Yardley |first1=Roland |last2=Schank |first2=John |last3=Kallimani |first3=James |year=2007 |publisher=RAND Corporation |isbn=978-0-8330-4182-1 |page=30}} As a result of nuclear power, the ships are capable of operating continuously for over 20 years without refueling and are predicted to have a service life of over 50 years.
=Armament and protection=
File:USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Sea Sparrow.jpg from Theodore Roosevelt. A Phalanx CIWS is in the left of the image.]]
File:US Navy 050615-N-8148A-063 The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) activates her countermeasures wash down system as part of a series of test and evaluations to certify the vessel in the event of a chemical.jpg against chemical, biological or radiological threats, and also against fires]]
In addition to the aircraft carried on board, the ships carry defensive equipment for use against missiles and hostile aircraft. These consist of either two or three RIM-7 Sea Sparrow or RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile Mk 29 missile launchers designed for defense against aircraft and anti-ship missiles, as well as either three or four 20 mm Phalanx CIWS.Wertheim 2005, pp. 919–920
USS Ronald Reagan has none of these, having been built with the Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching Systems for RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles, two of which have also been installed on {{USS|Nimitz|CVN-68|6}} and {{USS|George Washington|CVN-73|6}}. These will be installed on the other ships as they return for Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH). Since USS Theodore Roosevelt, the carriers have been constructed with {{convert|2.5|in|mm|abbr=on}} Kevlar armor over vital spaces, and earlier ships have been retrofitted with it: Nimitz in 1983–1984, Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1985 to 1987 and Carl Vinson in 1989.Wertheim 2007, p. 884
The ships' other countermeasures are four Sippican SRBOC (super rapid bloom off-board chaff) six-barrel Mk 36 decoy launchers, which deploy infrared flares and chaff to disrupt the sensors of incoming missiles; an SSTDS torpedo defense system; and an AN/SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo countermeasures system. The carriers also use AN/SLQ-32(V) jamming systems to detect and disrupt hostile radar signals in addition to the electronic warfare capabilities of some of the aircraft on board.Wertheim 2007, p. 885Polmar 2004, p. 108
The presence of nuclear weapons on board U.S. aircraft carriers since the end of the Cold War has neither been confirmed nor denied by the U.S. government. As a result, the presence of a U.S. aircraft carrier in a foreign port has occasionally provoked protest from local people, for example, when Nimitz visited Chennai, India, in 2007. At that time, the Strike Group commander Rear Admiral John Terence Blake stated, "The U.S. policy [...] is that we do not routinely deploy nuclear weapons on board Nimitz."{{cite news |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/nimitz-docks-off-chennai-to-build-new-relat/203639/ |title=Nimitz docks off Chennai to 'build new relations with India' |date= 3 July 2007 |newspaper=The Indian Express |access-date=11 January 2010}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2414/stories/20070727000806200.htm |title=NAM and Nimitz |date=14–27 July 2007 |magazine=Frontline |access-date=11 January 2010 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209044846/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2414/stories/20070727000806200.htm |archive-date=9 December 2010 |df=dmy-all}}
In May 2013, George H.W. Bush conducted the first carrier-borne end-to-end at-sea test of the Surface Ship Torpedo Defense System (SSTDS). The SSTDS combined the passive detection of the Torpedo Warning System (TWS) that finds, classifies, and tracks torpedoes with the hard-kill capability of a Countermeasure Anti-Torpedo (CAT), an encapsulated miniature torpedo designed to locate, home in on, and destroy hostile torpedoes.[http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=74665 First Carrier Countermeasure Anti-Torpedo Launched] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150727112816/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=74665 |date=27 July 2015}} – Navy.mil, 6 June 2013 This was to increase protection against wake-homing torpedoes like the Type 53 that do not respond to acoustic decoys. The pieces of the SSTDS were engineered to locate and destroy incoming torpedoes in a matter of seconds; each system included one TWS and 8 CATs. Initial operational capability (IOC) was planned for 2019, and all aircraft carriers were to be outfitted by 2035.[http://news.usni.org/2013/06/20/navy-develops-torpedo-killing-torpedo Navy Develops Torpedo Killing Torpedo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208120511/http://news.usni.org/2013/06/20/navy-develops-torpedo-killing-torpedo |date=8 December 2015}} – News.USNI.org, 20 June 2013{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20151208094936/http://defensetech.org/2013/10/28/navy-deploying-new-anti-torpedo-technology/ Navy Deploying New Anti-Torpedo Technology]}} – Defensetech.org, 28 October 2013[http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2015-news/march-2015-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/2495-us-navy-continues-work-on-torpedo-warning-systemcountermeasure-anti-torpedo-system.html US Navy Continues Work on Torpedo Warning System/Countermeasure Anti-Torpedo System] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208174617/http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2015-news/march-2015-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/2495-us-navy-continues-work-on-torpedo-warning-systemcountermeasure-anti-torpedo-system.html |date=8 December 2015}} – Navyrecognition.com, 12 March 2015 The Navy suspended work on the project in September 2018 due to poor reliability of the components; hardware, already installed on five carriers, is to be removed by 2023.[https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2018/navy/2018sstd_tws_cat.pdf?ver=2019-08-21-155651-040 Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) System]. Office of the Director of Test and Evaluation. FY18 NAVY PROGRAMS.[https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26347/the-navy-is-ripping-out-underperforming-anti-torpedo-torpedoes-from-its-supercarriers The Navy Is Ripping Out Underperforming Anti-Torpedo Torpedoes From Its Supercarriers]. The Drive.com/The War Zone. 5 February 2019.
=Carrier air wing=
{{Main|Carrier air wing}}
File:USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) flight deck.jpg launches from the flight deck of Harry S. Truman. Other aircraft are stored on deck.]]
In order for a carrier to deploy, it must embark one of ten Carrier Air Wings (CVW).Although there are ten carrier air wings in the U.S. Navy, they are numbered between CVW-1 (USS Enterprise) and CVW-17 (USS Carl Vinson). The carriers can accommodate a maximum of 130 F/A-18 Hornets"[http://www.fas.org/man/gao/nsiad98001/ns98001.pdf Navy Aircraft Carriers: Cost Effectiveness of Conventionally and Nuclear-powered Carriers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018083346/http://www.fas.org/man/gao/nsiad98001/ns98001.pdf |date=18 October 2011}} or 85–90 aircraft of different types, but current numbers are typically 64 aircraft. Although the air wings are integrated with the operation of the carriers they are deployed to, they are regarded as separate entities. As well as the aircrew, the air wings are also made up of support personnel involved in roles including maintenance, aircraft and ordnance handling, and emergency procedures. Each person on the flight deck wears color-coded clothing to make their role easily identifiable.{{Cite web |title=RAINBOW JERSEYS: A Guide to the color-coded wardrobe on a U.S. Navy Flight Deck |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/news-and-events/multimedia%20gallery/Infographics/FINAL_RainbowJerseys_highres_PDF.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314105120/https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/news-and-events/multimedia%20gallery/Infographics/FINAL_RainbowJerseys_highres_PDF.pdf |archive-date=2023-03-14 |access-date=2023-05-24 |publisher=Naval History and Heritage Command}}
A typical carrier air wing includes 36-48 F/A-18E or F Super Hornets as strike fighters, split between 3-4 squadrons; up to 12 F-35Cs, contributed by a squadron of Navy or Marine aviation; 4–8 EA-18G Growlers for electronic warfare; 4–6 E-2D Hawkeyes for airborne early warning (AEW), 1-3 C-2 Greyhounds used for logistics (to be replaced by CMV-22 Ospreys); and a Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron of 6–8 MH-60R and MH-60S Seahawks and 'Knighthawks', respectively. Marine F/A-18C or D Hornet squadrons are also sometimes deployed in place of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and/or F-35C squadrons. Future aircraft planned for operation from Nimitz and future classes of aircraft carrier include the MQ-25 Stingray, and two squadrons of F-35C, replacing a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadron. Aircraft previously operated from Nimitz-class carriers include F-4 Phantoms, RA-5C Vigilantes, RF-8G Crusaders, F-14 Tomcats, S-3 Vikings, EA-3B Skywarriors, EA-6B Prowlers, A-7 Corsair II, and A-6E Intruder aircraft.Lambeth 2005, p. 89{{cite book |title=American Carrier Air Power at the Dawn of a New Century |last=Lambeth |first=Benjamin |year=2005 |publisher=RAND Corporation |isbn=0-8330-3842-7 |page=138}}
=Flight deck and aircraft facilities=
The flight deck is angled at nine degrees, which allows for aircraft to be launched and recovered simultaneously. This angle of the flight deck was reduced slightly compared to previous carriers, as the current design improves the airflow around the carrier. Four steam catapults are used to launch fixed-wing aircraft, and four arrestor wires are used for recovery. The two newest carriers, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, have only three arrestor wires each, as the fourth was used infrequently on earlier ships and was therefore deemed unnecessary.Polmar 2004, p. 111
This CATOBAR arrangement allows for faster launching and recovery as well as a much wider range of aircraft that can be used on board compared with smaller aircraft carriers, most of which use a simpler STOVL arrangement without catapults or arrestor wires. The ship's aircraft operations are controlled by the air boss from Primary Flight Control or Pri-Fly. Four large elevators transport aircraft between the flight deck and the hangars below. These hangars are divided into three bays by thick steel doors that are designed to restrict the spread of fire.
=Strike groups=
{{Main|Carrier strike group}}
File:George Washington Carrier Strike Group.jpg, 2006]]
When an aircraft carrier deploys, it takes a Carrier Strike Group (CSG), made up of several other warships and supply vessels that allow the operation to be carried out. The armament of the Nimitz class is made up only of short-range defensive weapons, used as a last line of defense against enemy missiles and aircraft. As with all surface ships, an aircraft carrier is particularly vulnerable to attack from below, specifically from submarines. An aircraft carrier is a very expensive, hard to replace, and strategically valuable asset, and therefore it logically has immense value as a target.Stevens 1998, p. 24
As a result of its target value and vulnerability, aircraft carriers are always escorted by at least one submarine for protection. The other vessels in the Strike Group provide additional capabilities, such as long-range Tomahawk missiles or the Aegis Combat System, and protect the carrier from attack. A typical Strike Group may include, in addition to an aircraft carrier: up to six surface combatants, including guided-missile cruisers and guided-missile destroyers, used primarily for anti-aircraft warfare and anti-submarine warfare, and frigates/guided-missile frigates, prior to their retirement from USN service. Guided missile frigates will again accompany CSGs when the Navy commissions the USS Constellation (FFG-62), the lead ship of the Constellation-class.{{cn|date=March 2025}} Also making up part of the group is one or two attack submarines for seeking out and destroying hostile surface ships and submarines and an ammunition, oiler, and supply ship from Military Sealift Command to provide logistical support. The numbers and types of vessels that make up each strike group can vary from group to group, depending on deployments, mission, and availability.Polmar 2004, p. 37
=Design differences within the class=
While the designs of the last seven ships, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt, differ slightly from those of the earlier ships, the U.S. Navy considers all ten carriers a single class. When the older carriers come in for Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), their nuclear power plants are refueled, and they are upgraded to the standards of the later carriers. Other modifications may be performed to update the ships' equipment.{{cite web|title=Refueling and Complex Overhaul|publisher=Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding|url=http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/products/acfleetservices/|access-date=19 April 2008}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}
The ships were initially classified only as attack carriers but have been constructed with anti-submarine capabilities since Carl Vinson. These improvements include more advanced radar systems and facilities enabling the ships to operate aircraft in a more effective anti-submarine warfare role, including fitting common undersea picture (CUP) technology, which uses sonar to allow for better assessment of the threat from submarines.
Theodore Roosevelt and later carriers have slight structural differences from the earlier Nimitz carriers, such as improved protection for ordnance stored in their magazines. Other improvements include upgraded flight deck ballistic protection, first installed on George Washington, and the high-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA-100) used for constructing ships starting with John C. Stennis.{{cite web |url=http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/costing-the-cvn21-a-did-primer-01624/ |title=Costing the CVN-21: A DID Primer |date=19 December 2005 |publisher=Defense Industry Daily |access-date=27 December 2009}} More recently, older ships have had their flight decks upgraded with a new non-slip material fitted on new-build ships to improve safety for crew members and aircraft.{{cite web |url=http://www.surfacetechnologiescorp.com/projects/USS-Nimitz/ |title=USS Nimitz Flight Deck |publisher=Surface Technologies Corporation |access-date=2 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731113036/http://surfacetechnologiescorp.com/projects/USS-Nimitz/ |archive-date=31 July 2009 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=51351 |title=Truman Flight Deck Receives New Non-Skid |author=Lt. Katharine Cerezo |date=20 February 2010 |publisher=U.S. Navy |access-date=13 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722085105/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=51351 |archive-date=22 July 2010 |url-status=dead}}
The last carrier of the class, George H.W. Bush, was designed as a "transition ship" from the Nimitz class to the replacement {{sclass|Gerald R. Ford|aircraft carrier|4}}. George H.W. Bush incorporates new technologies, including improved propeller and bulbous bow designs, a reduced radar cross-section, and electronic and environmental upgrades.{{cite web|url=http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=165151|title=Press Release|publisher=Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding|date=11 May 2009|access-date=27 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521131119/http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=165151|archive-date=21 May 2009|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/bush/design_enhancements.html |title=Design Enhancements |publisher=Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding |access-date=28 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113050807/http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/bush/design_enhancements.html |archive-date=13 November 2009}} The ship's cost was $6.2 billion. The earlier Nimitz-class ships each cost around $4.5 billion.{{cite web |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479087,00.html |title=Aircraft Carrier Named the USS George H.W. Bush Commissioned |date=10 January 2009 |publisher=Fox News Channel |access-date=14 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021164246/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479087,00.html |archive-date=21 October 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}} To lower costs, some new technologies and design features were also incorporated into USS Ronald Reagan, the previous carrier, including a redesigned island.{{cite web |url=http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/Reagan/About_the_Christening/Media%20Link/reagan_press_kit.pdf |title=Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Christening: Advanced Media Kit |publisher=Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding |access-date=27 December 2009}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}
Ships in class
The United States Navy lists the following ten ships in the Nimitz class:
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ List of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers |
| scope="col" | Ship
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Hull No.|Hull number}} ! scope="col" | Subclass ! scope="col" | Laid down ! scope="col" | Launched ! scope="col" | Commissioned ! scope="col" | Refueling and Overhaul ! scope="col" | Homeport ! scope="col" | {{abbr|Refs.|References}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | {{USS|Nimitz||2}}
! scope="row" style="white-space: nowrap;" | CVN-68 | rowspan=3 | Nimitz subclass | 22 June 1968 | 13 May 1972 | 3 May 1975 | 1998–2001 |
| scope="row" | {{USS|Dwight D. Eisenhower||2}} ({{nowrap|ex-Eisenhower}})
! scope="row" | CVN-69 | 15 August 1970 | 11 October 1975 | 18 October 1977 | 2001–2005 |
| scope="row" | {{USS|Carl Vinson||2}}
! scope="row" | CVN-70 | 11 October 1975 | 15 March 1980 | 13 March 1982 | 2005–2009 | Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California{{Cite news |last= Jennewien |first= Chris |date = 10 January 2020 |title= USS Carl Vinson to Return to San Diego Following Year-and-a-Half Overhaul |work= Times of San Diego |url= https://timesofsandiego.com/military/2020/01/09/uss-carl-vinson-to-return-to-san-diego-following-year-and-a-half-overhaul/}} |
| scope="row" | {{USS|Theodore Roosevelt|CVN-71|2}}
! scope="row" | CVN-71 | rowspan=5 | Theodore Roosevelt subclass | 31 October 1981 | 27 October 1984 | 25 October 1986 | 2009–2013 | Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California |
| scope="row" | {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|CVN-72|2}}
! scope="row" | CVN-72 | 3 November 1984 | 13 February 1988 | 11 November 1989 | 2013–2017 | Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, California |
| scope="row" | {{USS|George Washington|CVN-73|2}}
! scope="row" | CVN-73 | 25 August 1986 | 21 July 1990 | 4 July 1992 | 2017–2023 |
| scope="row" | {{USS|John C. Stennis||2}}
! scope="row" | CVN-74 | 13 March 1991 | 11 November 1993 | 9 December 1995 | 2021– | Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia |
| scope="row" | {{USS|Harry S. Truman||2}} ({{nowrap|ex-United States}})
! scope="row" | CVN-75 | 29 November 1993 | 7 September 1996 | 25 July 1998 | {{n/a}} |
| scope="row" | {{USS|Ronald Reagan||2}}
! scope="row" | CVN-76 | rowspan=2 | Ronald Reagan subclass | 12 February 1998 | 4 March 2001 | 12 July 2003 | {{n/a}} |
| scope="row" | {{USS|George H.W. Bush||2}}
! scope="row" | CVN-77 | 6 September 2003 | 9 October 2006 | 10 January 2009 | {{n/a}} |
Service history
=1975–1989=
One of the first major operations in which the ships were involved was Operation Eagle Claw launched by Nimitz in 1980 after she had deployed to the Indian Ocean in response to the taking of hostages in the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Although initially part of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Dwight D. Eisenhower relieved Nimitz in this operation after her service in the Mediterranean Sea. Nimitz conducted a Freedom of Navigation exercise alongside the aircraft carrier {{USS|Forrestal|CV-59|6}} in August 1981 in the Gulf of Sidra, near Libya. During this exercise, two of the ship's F-14 Tomcats shot down two Libyan aircraft in what became known as the Gulf of Sidra incident.{{cite book |title=History of the U.S.Navy: 1942–1991 v. 2 |last=Love |first=Robert William |year=1992 |publisher=Stackpole Books |location=Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania |isbn=978-0-8117-1863-9 |page=755}} Both Nimitz and Dwight D. Eisenhower conducted contingency operations off Lebanon in support of the Multinational Force in Lebanon.[https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/about-us/leadership/hgram_pdfs/H-Gram_080-1.pdf navy.mil] Dwight D. Eisenhower operated off the coast of Lebanon during Operation Arid Farmer, the code-name for U.S. military assistance to Sudan, Egypt and the government of Hissène Habré of Chad during the Chadian-Libyan conflict.https://web.archive.org/web/20071012220208/http://acig.org/artman/publish/article_357.shtml Nimitz operated off the coast of Lebanon after the hijacking of TWA Flight 847.https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/06/17/Navy-official-says-rescue-mission-all-but-impossible/1953487828800/ In 1987, Carl Vinson participated in the first U.S. carrier deployment in the Bering Sea," http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/c/cvn-70/1987.pdf 1987 Command History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125074330/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/c/cvn-70/1987.pdf |date=25 November 2011}}" U.S. Navy report. 6 December 1988. and Nimitz provided security during the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.{{cite book |title=Pen and Sword: A Journalist's Guide to Covering the Military |last=Offley |first=Ed |year=2001 |publisher=Marion Street Press |location=Portland, Oregon |isbn=978-0-9665176-4-4 |page=224}} Both Nimitz and Carl Vinson participated in Operation Earnest Will, the escort of U.S. flagged tankers in the Persian Gulf.http://www.uscarriers.net/cvn70history.htm[https://www.airpac.navy.mil/Organization/USS-Nimitz-CVN-68/About-Us/History/ navy.mil]
=1990–2000=
File:RH-53 Sea Stallion in hangar of USS Nimitz (CVN-68) 1980.jpg helicopters aboard Nimitz in early 1980, prior to execution of Operation Eagle Claw]]
The two most significant deployments the Nimitz class was involved in during the 1990s were the Gulf War and its aftermath and Operation Southern Watch in southern Iraq. All active vessels were engaged in both of these to some extent, with Operation Southern Watch continuing until 2003.Lambeth 2005, p. 6 Most carriers in operation in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm played supporting roles, with only Theodore Roosevelt playing an active part in combat operations.{{cite book |last= |first= |url=https://archive.org/details/the-encyclopedia-of-middle-east-wars-the-united-states-in-the-persian-gulf-afgha/ |title=The Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2010 |isbn=9781851099474 |editor-last=Tucker |editor-first=Spencer |location=Santa Barbara, California |pages=355, 361, 366–367}}
Throughout the 1990s and more recently, Nimitz-class carriers have been deployed as part of humanitarian missions. While deployed in the Gulf War, Abraham Lincoln was diverted to the Pacific Ocean to participate alongside 22 other ships in Operation Fiery Vigil, evacuating civilians following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo on Luzon Island in the Philippines. In October 1993, Abraham Lincoln deployed to Somalia to assist UN humanitarian operations there, spending four weeks flying patrols around Mogadishu while supporting U.S. troops during Operation Restore Hope. The same ship also participated in Operation Vigilant Sentinel in the Persian Gulf in 1995.
Dwight D. Eisenhower participated in Operation Uphold Democracy, the US effort to restore the democratically elected government of Haiti, stationing the 10th Mountain Division on board.[https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/2258528/uss-dwight-d-eisenhower-celebrates-39-years-of-excellence/ navy.mil]
Theodore Roosevelt flew patrols in support of the Kurds over northern Iraq as part of Operation Provide Comfort in 1991. In 1995, Theodore Roosevelt participated in Operation Deliberate Force participating alongside other NATO air forces. In 1996, George Washington played a peacekeeping role in Operation Decisive Endeavor in Bosnia and Herzegovina.{{cite book |title=The U.S. Intelligence Community |last=Richelson |first=Jeffrey |year=1999 |publisher=Perseus Books Group |location=Boulder, Colorado |isbn=978-0-8133-6893-1 |page=[https://archive.org/details/usintelligenceco0000rich_s8s3/page/196 196] |url=https://archive.org/details/usintelligenceco0000rich_s8s3/page/196}} In 1998, Carl Vinson participated in Operation Desert Fox. In 1999, Theodore Roosevelt was called to the Ionian Sea to support Operation Allied Force alongside other NATO militaries.{{cite book |url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp99/rp99-048.pdf |title=Kosovo: Operation "Allied Force" |date=29 April 1999 |publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom |page=16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061121012316/http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp99/rp99-048.pdf |archive-date=21 November 2006 |df=dmy-all}}
=2001–present=
Harry S. Truman{{'}}s maiden deployment was in November 2000. The carrier's air wing flew 869 combat sorties in support of Operation Southern Watch, including a strike on Iraqi air defense sites on 16 February 2001, in response to Iraqi surface-to-air missile fire against United Nations coalition forces.{{cite web |url=http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn75/Pages/About%20Us.aspx |title=History of the Ship |publisher=USS Harry S. Truman, U.S. Navy |access-date=16 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210155648/http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/cvn75/Pages/About%20Us.aspx |archive-date=10 December 2012 |url-status=dead}}
After the September 11 attacks, Carl Vinson and Theodore Roosevelt were among the first warships to participate in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Carl Vinson sailed towards the Persian Gulf intending to support Operation Southern Watch in July 2001. This changed in response to the attacks, and the ship changed course to travel towards the North Arabian Sea, where she launched the first airstrikes in support of the operation on 7 October 2001.{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/trade.center/deployment.map/vinson.html |title=USS Carl Vinson |publisher=CNN |access-date=2 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024205208/http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/trade.center/deployment.map/vinson.html |archive-date=24 October 2010 |url-status=live}}
Following the attacks, John C. Stennis and George Washington participated in Operation Noble Eagle, carrying out homeland security operations off the West Coast of the United States. All active ships have been involved in Iraq and Afghanistan since that time. This included the invasion in 2003, as well as providing subsequent support for Operation Iraqi Freedom since then.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/policy/vision/vis04/vpp04-appxa.pdf |title=Appendix A: Navy-Marine Corps: Crisis Response and Combat Actions |publisher=U.S. Navy |access-date=31 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808061732/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/policy/vision/vis04/vpp04-appxa.pdf |archive-date=8 August 2009 |url-status=dead}}
The carriers have also provided aid after natural disasters. In 2005, Abraham Lincoln supported Operation Unified Assistance in Indonesia after the December 2004 tsunami,{{cite web |url=http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=1653 |title=DoD Briefing on Operation Unified Assistance, the Post-Tsunami Relief Effort |date=14 January 2005 |publisher=US Department of Defense |access-date=30 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529165702/http://www.defense.gov/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=1653 |archive-date=29 May 2010 |url-status=dead}} and Harry S. Truman provided aid after Hurricane Katrina later in 2005.{{cite web |title=New Orleans Gets More Troops to Stop Katrina Looting |first=Heather |last=Burke |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |date=1 September 2005 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=axLmRQqK.K0U&refer=us |access-date=10 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060410104308/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=axLmRQqK.K0U&refer=us |archive-date=10 April 2006 |url-status=live}}
The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group performed humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the Philippines in June 2008 after Typhoon Fengshen, which killed hundreds from the central island regions and the main island of Luzon.{{cite web |title=U.S. ship coming to help retrieve victims of sea tragedy |publisher=GMA News |date=25 June 2008 |url=http://www.gmanews.tv/story/103093/US-ship-coming-to-help-retrieve-victims-of-sea-tragedy |access-date=26 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925002811/http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/103093/news/nation/us-ship-coming-to-help-retrieve-victims-of-sea-tragedy |archive-date=25 September 2015 |url-status=live}} In January 2010, Carl Vinson operated off Haiti, providing aid and drinking water to earthquake survivors as part of the U.S.-led Operation Unified Response, alongside other major warships and hospital ship {{USNS|Comfort|T-AH-20|2}}.{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/13/haiti.us.coast.guard/index.html |title=First U.S. military aid reaches quake-stricken Haiti |author=Mike Mount and Larry Shaughnessy |date=13 January 2010 |publisher=CNN |access-date=9 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100218142750/http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/13/haiti.us.coast.guard/index.html |archive-date=18 February 2010 |url-status=live}}
The carriers, George H.W. Bush, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln participated in Operation Inherent Resolve.https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/NEWS-ARTICLES/News-Article-View/Article/1207467/george-h-w-bush-csg-conducts-strikes-from-mediterranean/https://www.inherentresolve.mil/NEWSROOM/Article/837349/eisenhower-carrier-strike-group-enters-us-fifth-fleet/[https://www.airlant.usff.navy.mil/Organization/Aircraft-Carriers/USS-Harry-S-Truman-CVN-75/Command-History/ navy.mil][https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/2250569/theodore-roosevelt-supports-oir-and-ofs-in-us-5th-fleet/ navy.mil][https://www.cusnc.navy.mil/Media/News/Display/Article/2025128/abraham-lincoln-carrier-strike-group-supports-operation-inherent-resolve/ navy.mil]
=Refueling Complex Overhaul=
{{Main|Refueling and Overhaul}}
File:USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) dry dock 1990.jpg
In order to refuel their nuclear power plants, the carriers each undergo a Refueling and Overhaul (RCOH) once in their service lives. This is also the most substantial overhaul the ships undergo while in service and involves bringing the vessels' equipment up to the standards of the newest ships. The ship is placed in a dry dock, and essential maintenance is carried out, including painting the hull below the waterline and replacing electrical and mechanical components such as valves. Because of the large time periods between the ships' constructions, the armament and designs of the newer ships are more modern than those of the older ships. In RCOH, the older ships are refitted to the standards of the newer ships, which can include upgrades to the flight deck, aircraft catapults, combat systems, and radar systems; precise details can vary significantly between the ships. The improvements normally take around four years to complete. The RCOH for USS Theodore Roosevelt took four years to complete (2009–2013) and cost about $2.6 billion.{{cite web |url=http://www.defenselink.mil/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=4103 |title=Contracts: Navy |date=26 August 2009 |publisher=DefenseLink |access-date=26 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901115208/http://www.defenselink.mil/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=4103 |archive-date=1 September 2009 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/cvn-70-carl-vinsons-midlife-rcoh-refueling-maintenance-01554/ |title=CVN 70 Carl Vinson's Mid-Life RCOH Refueling & Maintenance |date=14 July 2009 |publisher=Defense Industry Daily |access-date=31 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031002648/http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/cvn-70-carl-vinsons-midlife-rcoh-refueling-maintenance-01554/ |archive-date=31 October 2010 |url-status=live}}{{cite book |title=Refueling and Complex Overhaul of the USS "Nimitz" (CVN 68): Lessons for the Future |last1=Schank |first1=John |last2=Arena |first2=Mark |last3=Rushworth |first3=Denis |last4=Birkler |first4=John |last5=Chiesa |first5=James |year=2003 |publisher=RAND Corporation |location=Santa Monica, California |isbn=978-0-8330-3288-1 |pages=xiii–xviii}}{{Cite web|url=https://news.usni.org/2015/01/12/upgraded-carrier-roosevelt-starts-pre-deployment-exercises|title=Upgraded Carrier Roosevelt Starts Pre-Deployment Exercises|date=2015-01-12|website=USNI News|access-date=2016-12-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128175747/https://news.usni.org/2015/01/12/upgraded-carrier-roosevelt-starts-pre-deployment-exercises|archive-date=28 January 2017|url-status=live}} Planned Incremental Availability is a similar procedure, although it is less substantial and does not involve refueling the nuclear power plants.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=12076 |title=Nimitz Begins Planned Incremental Availability |date=1 March 2004 |publisher=U.S. Navy |access-date=30 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629212432/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=12076 |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}
=Symbolic and diplomatic roles=
File:KD Lekiu(FFG30) and KD Jebat(FFG29) with USS George Washington (CVN 73).jpeg {{sclass|Lekiu|frigate|2}}s KD Jebat and KD Lekiu during a transit of the Andaman Sea]]
Because of their status as the largest warships in the U.S. Navy, the deployment of an aircraft carrier can fulfill a symbolic role, not just as a deterrent to an enemy but often as a diplomatic tool in strengthening relations with allies and potential allies. The latter of these functions can occur either as a single visit to a country, in which senior naval officers are allowed to observe the operation of the carrier and interact with its senior officers,{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=13709 |title=Reagan Sailors Visit Rio |date=June 2004 |publisher=U.S. Navy |access-date=9 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604180015/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=13709 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |url-status=dead}} or as part of an international task force. This can be in combat operations, such as the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999,{{cite book |title=Conflict in the Balkans, 1991–2000 |last=Ripley |first=Tim |year=2001 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |location=Oxford, United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-84176-290-6 |page=92}} or training deployments, such as Exercise RIMPAC. In addition, carriers have participated in international Maritime security operations, combating piracy in the Persian Gulf and off the coast of Somalia.{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=48373 |title=USS Nimitz Launches First Sorties, Support Coalition Troops in Afghanistan |date=21 September 2009 |publisher=U.S. Navy |access-date=30 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923163907/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=48373 |archive-date=23 September 2009 |url-status=dead}}
=Accidents and incidents=
On 26 May 1981, an EA-6B Prowler crashed on the flight deck of Nimitz, killing 14 crewmen and injuring 45 others.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/explore/ship.cfm?ship=Nimitz%20Class |title=Cold War Ship – Nimitz class |year=2008 |publisher=Royal Air Force Museum London |access-date=21 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727112705/http://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/explore/ship.cfm?ship=Nimitz%20Class |archive-date=27 July 2011 |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine | last = Anderson | first = Kurt | author2 = Beaty, Jonathan | title = Night of Flaming Terror | magazine = Time | date = 8 June 1981 | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922544-1,00.html | access-date = 2 October 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090201133400/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922544-1,00.html | archive-date = 1 February 2009 | url-status = dead}} Forensic testing of the personnel involved showed that several tested positive for marijuana. While this was not found to have directly caused the crash, the investigation's findings prompted the introduction of mandatory drug testing of all service personnel.{{cite book |title=Drug Testing: Issues and Options |last1=Coombs |first1=Robert |last2=West |first2=Louis |year=1991 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford, United Kingdom |isbn=978-0-19-505414-9 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/drugtestingissue00coom/page/3 3–21] |url=https://archive.org/details/drugtestingissue00coom/page/3 |url-access=registration}}{{cite news |title=Human Instability and Nuclear Weapons |first=Herbert |last=Abrams |newspaper= Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists |date=January 1987 |page=34}}
Pilots have been able to eject safely in several cases of ditched aircraft. However, fatal aircraft crashes have occurred; in 1994, Lieutenant Kara Hultgreen, the first female F-14 Tomcat pilot, was killed while attempting to land on board Abraham Lincoln during a training exercise.
Fires have also caused damage to the ships; in May 2008, while rotating through to her new homeport at Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan, George Washington suffered a fire that cost $70 million in repairs, injured 37 sailors and led to the ship undergoing three months of repairs at San Diego; this led to its having to miss the 2008 RIMPAC exercises and delayed the final withdrawal from service of {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|6}}. The fire was caused by unauthorized smoking near improperly stored flammable refrigerant compressor oil.{{cite web |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2008/07/navy-relieves-top-officers-carrier-washington-after-fire |title=Two top Navy officers fired over $70 million carrier blaze |author=Dale Eisman |date=30 July 2008 |publisher=The Virginian-Pilot |access-date=19 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826204135/http://hamptonroads.com/2008/07/navy-relieves-top-officers-carrier-washington-after-fire |archive-date=26 August 2009 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Crew Faulted in Blaze on Carrier |first=Steve |last=Liewer |newspaper=San Diego Union-Tribune |date=7 October 2008 |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20081007/news_1m7carrier.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125200211/http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20081007/news_1m7carrier.html |archive-date=25 November 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/NHC/accidents.htm |title=Casualties: U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Injured in Selected Accidents and Other Incidents Not Directly the Result of Enemy Action |publisher=Naval Historical Center |access-date=13 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724061707/http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/NHC/accidents.htm |archive-date=24 July 2010 |url-status=live}}
Future and planned replacement
Nimitz-class carriers were initially designed to have a 50-year service life. At the end of their service life, ships will be decommissioned. This process will first take place on Nimitz and is estimated to cost from $750 to $900 million. This compares with an estimated $53 million for a conventionally powered carrier. Most of the difference in cost is attributed to the deactivation of the nuclear power plants and the safe removal of radioactive material and other contaminated equipment.Stevens 1998, p. 10
A new class of carriers, the Gerald R. Ford class, is being constructed to replace previous vessels after decommissioning. Ten of these are expected, and the first has entered service as of 22 July 2017 to replace {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|2}}. Most of the rest of these new carriers are to replace the oldest Nimitz ships as they reach the end of their service lives.{{cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6712/is_24_239/ai_n29459545/ |title=CVN-77 Delivery Moved To December, Newport News on Track For January Commissioning |year=2006 |publisher=Defense Daily |access-date=23 December 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708172237/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6712/is_24_239/ai_n29459545/ |archive-date=8 July 2012 |url-status=live}} The new carriers will have a similar design to George H.W. Bush (using an almost identical hull shape) and technological and structural improvements.{{cite web |url=http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/products/geraldrfordclass/facts/index.html |title=CVN-78 Facts |publisher=Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding |access-date=30 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107055408/http://www.sb.northropgrumman.com/products/geraldrfordclass/facts/index.html |archive-date=7 January 2010 |df=dmy-all}}
The Navy reported in early 2022 that it was conducting a study to determine if the Nimitz-class carrier lives could be extended to as long as 55 years.{{cite web|url=https://news.usni.org/2022/04/20/navy-could-extend-the-oldest-nimitz-class-carriers-decision-in-next-budget|title=Navy Could Extend the Oldest Nimitz-class Carriers, Decision in Next Budget|publisher=usni.org|date=20 April 2022|access-date=20 July 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/nimitz-class-carriers-could-serve-longer-under-new-shipbuilding-plan|title=Nimitz Class Carriers Could Serve Longer Under New Shipbuilding Plan|publisher=thedrive.com|date=21 April 2022|access-date=20 July 2022}}
See also
- Aircraft Carrier (Medium)
- List of aircraft carrier classes of the United States Navy
- List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
- List of aircraft carriers
- List of naval ship classes in service
- Modern US Navy carrier air operations
- Naval aviation
- Timeline of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
Notes
= Footnotes =
{{Reflist|group=Note}}
= Citations =
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
{{cite web |title= USS Nimitz (CVN 68) |date= 27 June 2018 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN68}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210508004848/http://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_68_5151.HTML |archive-date= 8 May 2021 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) |date= 27 June 2018 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN69}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210303202715/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_69.HTML |archive-date= 3 March 2021 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) |date= 27 June 2018 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN70}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210225064726/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_70.HTML |archive-date= 25 February 2021 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) |date= 27 June 2018 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN71}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201030035346/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_71.HTML |archive-date= 30 October 2020 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) |date= 3 October 2019 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN72}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210224230653/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_72.HTML |archive-date= 24 February 2021 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS George Washington (CVN 73) |date= 27 June 2018 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN73}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220111020045/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_73.HTML |archive-date= 11 January 2022 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS John C Stennis (CVN 74) |date= 14 September 2020 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN74}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220110231412/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_74.HTML |archive-date= 10 January 2022 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) |date= 27 June 2018 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN75}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210304044140/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_75.HTML |archive-date= 4 March 2021 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) |date= 27 June 2018 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url={{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN76}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210227131512/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_76.HTML |archive-date= 27 February 2021 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= USS George H W Bush (CVN 77) |date= 27 June 2018 |website= Naval Vessel Register |publisher= NAVSEA Shipbuilding Support Office |url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=CVN77}} |access-date= 26 February 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210227052541/https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_CVN_77.HTML |archive-date= 27 February 2021 |url-status= live}}
{{cite web |title= Nimitz (CVN-68) |date= 8 May 2009 |website= Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher= Naval History and Heritage Command |url= https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/nimitz.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190601034511/https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/nimitz.html |archive-date= 1 June 2019}}
{{cite web |last= Evans |first= Mark L. |title= Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) |date= 14 September 2016 |website= Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher= Naval History and Heritage Command |url= https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/d/dwight-d-eisenhower-cvn-69.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190531151213/https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/d/dwight-d-eisenhower-cvn-69.html |archive-date= 31 May 2019}}
{{cite web |last= Evans |first= Mark L. |title= Carl Vinson (CVN-70) |date= 18 December 2018 |website= Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher= Naval History and Heritage Command |url= https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/carl-vinson--cvn-70-.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190607132509/https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/carl-vinson--cvn-70-.html |archive-date= 7 June 2019}}
{{cite web |last= Evans |first= Mark L. |title= Carl Vinson (CVN-70) |date= 4 April 2012 |website= Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships |publisher= Naval History and Heritage Command |url= https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/abraham-lincoln-cvn-72-ii.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190602093324/https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/abraham-lincoln-cvn-72-ii.html |archive-date= 2 June 2019}}
}}
References
- {{Cite book |title=U.S. Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History |last=Friedman |first=Norman |year=1983 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=978-0-87021-739-5}}
- {{Cite book |last= |first= |title=Combat Fleets of the World 1980/81: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Armament |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1980 |isbn=978-0870211232 |location=Annapolis, Maryland|editor-last=Labayle Couhat|editor-first=Jean|url=https://archive.org/details/combatfleetsofwo0000unse_f4x2/|url-access=registration}}
- {{Cite book |title=American Carrier Air Power at the Dawn of a New Century |last=Lambeth |first=Benjamin |year=2005 |publisher=RAND Corporation |location=Santa Monica, California |isbn=978-0-8330-3842-5}}
- {{Cite book |title=The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet |last=Polmar |first=Norman |year=2004 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=978-1-59114-685-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/navalinstitutegu0018polm}}
- {{Cite book |title=Navy Aircraft Carriers: Cost-effectiveness of Conventionally and Nuclear-powered Carriers: Report to Congressional Requesters |last=Stevens |first=Ted |year=1998 |publisher=Government Accountability Office |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=1-4289-7664-7}}
- {{cite book |last=Wertheim |first=Eric |url=https://archive.org/details/navalinstitutegu0000unse_j3x1/ |title=The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 2005–2006: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems |location=Annapolis, Maryland |url-access=registration |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-1591149347}}
- {{Cite book |title=The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft and Systems |last=Wertheim |first=Eric |year=2007 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=978-1-59114-955-2}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |first= John F. |last= Schank |author2=Mark V. Arena |author3=Denis Rushworth |author4=John Birkler |author5=James Chiesa |title= Refueling and Complex Overhaul of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68): Lessons for the Future |url= http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1632/index.html |publisher= Rand Corporation |location= Santa Monica, California |isbn= 0-8330-3288-7 |year= 2002 |access-date= 4 December 2010}}
External links
{{Commons category|Nimitz class aircraft carriers}}
- [http://military.discovery.com/videos/top-ten-fighting-ships-nimitz-aircraft-carrier.html Discovery channel video] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507062101/http://military.discovery.com/videos/top-ten-fighting-ships-nimitz-aircraft-carrier.html |date=7 May 2012}}
- [http://www.navweaps.com/index_tech/tech-028.htm Busting the speed myth of USS Enterprise and Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier], a special report by NavWeaps.Com
{{Nimitz class aircraft carrier}}
{{Active ship classes of the United States Navy}}
{{Aircraft carrier classes in service}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier}}
Category:Naval ships of the United States
Nimitz-class aircraft carriers