USS Nimitz

USS Nimitz
USS Nimitz (CVN-68) off the coast of San Diego in July 2009.
History
United States
NameNimitz
NamesakeChester W. Nimitz
Ordered31 March 1967
BuilderNewport News Shipbuilding
Laid down22 June 1968
Launched13 May 1972
Commissioned3 May 1975
ReclassifiedCVN-68, 30 June 1975
HomeportSan Diego
Identification
MottoTeamwork, a Tradition
Nickname(s)
  • Old Salt
  • Uncle Chester
  • BOHICA
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeNimitz-class aircraft carrier
Displacement100,020 long tons (112,020 short tons)[1][2]
Length
  • Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m)
  • Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m)
Beam
  • Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m)
  • Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m)
Draft
  • Maximum navigational: 37 feet (11.3 m)
  • Limit: 41 feet (12.5 m)
Propulsion
Speed31.5 knots (58.3 km/h; 36.2 mph)[5]
RangeUnlimited distance; 20–25 years
Complement
  • Ship's company: 3,532
  • Air wing: 2,480
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
ArmorUnknown
Aircraft carried90 fixed wing and helicopters

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, and the lead ship of her class. One of the largest warships in the world, she was laid down, launched, and commissioned as CVAN-68, "aircraft carrier, attack, nuclear powered", but she was later redesignated as CVN-68, "aircraft carrier, multi-mission, nuclear-powered", on 30 June 1975, as part of a fleet-wide realignment that year.

The ship was named after World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W. Nimitz, USN, (1885–1966), who was the Navy's third fleet admiral. Nimitz had her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk until 1987, when she was relocated to Naval Station Bremerton in Washington (now part of Naval Base Kitsap). Following her Refueling and Complex Overhaul in 2001, her home port was changed to Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego County, California. The home port of Nimitz was again moved to Naval Station Everett in Washington in 2012.

In January 2015, Nimitz changed home port from Everett back to Naval Base Kitsap.[6] With the inactivation of USS Enterprise in 2012 and decommissioning in 2017, Nimitz is now the oldest U.S. aircraft carrier in service, and the oldest serving aircraft carrier in the world.

  1. ^ Polmar, Norman (2004). The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. fleet. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 112. ISBN 978-1-59114-685-8.
  2. ^ "CVN-68: NIMITZ CLASS" (PDF).
  3. ^ Kuperman, Alan; von Hippel, Frank (10 April 2020). "US Study of Reactor and Fuel Types to Enable Naval Reactors to Shift from HEU Fuel". International Panel on Fissile Materials. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  4. ^ Hanlon, Brendan Patrick (19 May 2015). Validation of the Use of Low Enriched Uranium as a Replacement for Highly Enriched Uranium in US Submarine Reactors (PDF) (MSc). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  5. ^ Slade, Stuart (29 April 1999). "Speed Thrills III – Max speed of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers". NavWeaps. Archived from the original on 11 January 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Nimitz finally arrives for long maintenance period". Kitsap Sun. 13 January 2015. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.