Aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is a supercarrier 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 but was later redesignated CVN-68 (nuclear-powered multimission aircraft carrier) on 30 June 1975 as part of the fleet realignment.

The ship was named for 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 State (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 state in 2012.

In January 2015 Nimitz changed home port from Everett back to Naval Base Kitsap.

USS Nimitz Air Power DemonstrationWith the inactivation of USS Enterprise in 2012 and decommissioning in 2017, Nimitz is now the oldest U.S. aircraft carrier in service.

Construction

Nimitz was authorized by the U.S. Congress in fiscal year 1967 and Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. in Newport News, Virginia was awarded the $106.5 million (equivalent to $781.64 million today). The keel was laid down on 22 June 1968. The vessel was christened on 13 May 1972 by Catherine Nimitz Lay, the daughter of the late Admiral Nimitz, six years after his death. Nimitz was delivered to the Navy in 1975, and was commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk on 3 May 1975 by the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford.

Nimitz Carrier Strike Group

Nimitz is part of Carrier Strike Group Eleven (CSG-11) with Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) embarked, with Nimitz as the flagship of the strike group and the home of the commander of Destroyer Squadron 23 (DESRON-23).

Ships of DESRON-23

• USS Howard (DDG-83) – Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
• USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) – Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
• USS Pinckney (DDG-91) – Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
• USS Sampson (DDG-102) – Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
• USS Spruance (DDG-111) – Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

Squadrons of CVW-11

• Strike Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154) «Black Knights» with Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets
• Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323 (VMFA-323) «Death Rattlers» with McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornets
• Strike Fighter Squadron 146 (VFA-146) «Blue Diamonds» with F/A-18E Super Hornets
• Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147) «Argonauts» with F/A-18E Super Hornets
• Electronic Attack Squadron 142 (VAQ-142) «Gray Wolves» with Boeing EA-18G Growlers
• Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121 (VAW-121) «Bluetails» with Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeyes
• Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8 (HSC-8) «Eightballers» with Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawks
• Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 75 (HSM-75) «Wolf Pack» with MH-60R Seahawks
• Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 Detachment 3 (VRC-30) «Providers» with Grumman C-2 Greyhound