Two of the U.S. Navy’s most powerful warships, the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68), have conducted joint operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
The U.S. Navy released an official image taken on 5 July showing both flattops manoeuvring together in the Arabian Sea. The Carl Vinson, currently in the midst of one of its longest deployments in recent years, was joined by Nimitz in a display of force projection.
Homeported in San Diego, California, the USS Carl Vinson is the third ship of the Nimitz class. When fully embarked with its air wing, the carrier operates more than 60 fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. USS Nimitz, the lead ship of its class and the oldest active aircraft carrier in the world, was commissioned in 1975 and named after Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander of U.S. naval forces in the Pacific during the Second World War.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are among the most powerful warships ever constructed. With a displacement exceeding 100,000 tons and a length of over 1,090 feet, these nuclear-powered carriers function as floating airbases capable of global power projection. Each vessel typically embarks around 64 aircraft as part of its carrier air wing. These strike fighters provide the carriers with precision strike, air superiority, and reconnaissance capabilities that rival the air forces of most countries.
Propelled by two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors generating 260,000 shaft horsepower, the carriers can sustain speeds exceeding 30 knots and operate continuously for 20 to 25 years without refuelling. This endurance gives the U.S. Navy unparalleled operational reach, enabling rapid deployment to global hotspots without the logistical limitations of fuel resupply.
Flight operations are supported by a CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) system, allowing a broader range of heavier and more capable aircraft than the STOVL (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing) systems used on smaller carriers. Launch and recovery are facilitated by steam catapults and arrestor wires, with advanced radar and landing aid systems ensuring high-tempo sortie generation. Defensive systems include Sea Sparrow and Rolling Airframe Missiles, Phalanx CIWS, and electronic countermeasures for layered defence against missile threats.
Beyond their combat role, Nimitz-class carriers serve diplomatic and humanitarian functions, providing disaster relief or deterrence as needed.
Looks like the USS Ford broke down again, problems with the Advanced Arrester Gear. The rest of the class have been further delayed two years. Seems very unlikely that the US will be getting ten super carriers again and poor Nimitz is probably being held together with spit, duct tape and the dedication of her crew.
It means the Queen Elizabeth class will be more important and the F35B will be even more vital as the US will have to rely on more lightning carriers.