{"id":1555,"date":"2023-10-21T18:29:41","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T18:29:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1555"},"modified":"2023-10-21T18:29:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T18:29:41","slug":"floating-cities-nimitz-class-aircraft-carriers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1555","title":{"rendered":"Floating Cities: Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carriers"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Peter Suciu<\/a><\/p>\n

Nitmiz-class aircraft carriers have projected U.S. power around the globe for nearly 50 years. These nuclear-powered warships have been the backbone of the U.S. Navy \u2014 protecting shipping lanes, delivering precision strikes against our enemies and covering troops on the ground. In this article, Peter Suciu explains where these carriers have been and how they will continue to serve the United States in the coming decades.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n<\/picture>
The aircraft carrier USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-68) transits the Pacific Ocean in preparation for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 maritime exercise. Image:\u00a0MCS2C Michael D. Cole\/U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I<\/span>n late June, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (Nimitz GSG) returned to San Diego, concluding a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleet areas of operations (AO). That of course included USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-68), the lead vessel of a class of nuclear-powered supercarriers, which dropped off Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17) at Naval Air Station North Island.<\/p>\n

A week later, the carrier returned to Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton \u2014 the flattop\u2019s homeport.<\/p>\n

\"building\n<\/picture>
A Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company workman welds parts during the building of the USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0in October 1969. Image:\u00a0U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The carrier had departed Bremerton in November, and during a seven-month deployment, she conducted six port visits in Singapore, Guam, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, and Hawaii. The carrier also operated with the joint force and several countries, including Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, France, Singapore, and the Philippines, in the Indo-Pacific region.<\/p>\n

\"christening\n<\/picture>
Mrs. Catherine Nimitz Lay christens the USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0at Newport News, Virginia on May 13, 1972. Image:\u00a0U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This will have been one of the final homecomings for the warship, now the oldest active aircraft carrier in service, as the U.S. Navy is scheduled to decommission the ship in 2026. Because of her nuclear reactors, there are no plans to preserve the vessel as a museum ship \u2014 and over the coming decade and a half, the supercarrier will be broken up.<\/p>\n

\"uss\n<\/picture>
The USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0replenishes from the USS\u00a0Mount Baker<\/em>\u00a0(AE-34), during UNREP training in Guantanamo Operations Area, Caribbean, July 1975. Image:\u00a0U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yet, nine of her sister ships of the\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>-class will continue to serve for the coming half-century. Even as they\u2019ll be replaced on a one-for-one basis with the new\u00a0Gerald R. Ford<\/em>-class, the carriers will continue to project power around the globe like almost no other warship afloat today.<\/p>\n

Nimitz-Class Carriers Are Born<\/h2>\n

Named for United States Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, who commanded the U.S. Pacific Fleet during the Second World War, the nuclear-powered class of supercarriers was developed in the 1960s to supplement the U.S. Navy\u2019s\u00a0Kitty Hawk<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Enterprise<\/em>\u00a0classes, while originally designed as direct replacements for the aging\u00a0Midway<\/em>-class.<\/p>\n

\"uss\n<\/picture>
The USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0passes by Mukilteo Lighthouse Park on its way to homeport at Naval Station Everett in 2013. Image:\u00a0MCS1 Nathan Lockwood\/U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The ships, which have a full-load displacement of more than 89,566 tons and a length of 332.9 meters (1,093 feet), were also vastly improved over previous U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, notably the\u00a0Enterprise<\/em> \u2014 of which only a single of a planned six were built \u2014 as well as the\u00a0Forrestal<\/em>-class, the initial class of supercarriers.<\/p>\n

[Read about the Forrestal-class aircraft carriers here<\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n

\"flight\n<\/picture>
Sailors perform flight operations on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>. Image:\u00a0MCS2 Cole Schroeder\/U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>-class differed from the earlier\u00a0Enterprise<\/em>\u00a0in having a then-new two-reactor powerplant design in two separate compartments, with the ordnance magazines between and forward of them. That change greatly increased the internal space available, which allowed the carriers to accommodate some 2,331 tonnes (2,570 tons) of aviation weapons and 10.6 million liters (2.8 million gallons) of aircraft fuel \u2014 enough for 16 days of continuous flight operations before stocks needed to be replenished.<\/p>\n

\"us\n<\/picture>
In 1986, aircraft from the carrier\u2019s air wing fly in a diamond formation over the flight deck of the USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to various sources that was as much as 90 percent more aviation fuel, and 50 percent more ordnance than the\u00a0Forrestal<\/em>-class. Yet, despite the fact that each of the\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>-class supercarriers was essentially a floating fuel tank and ammunition depot, the U.S. Navy initially called for the warships to be able to withstand three times the damage the World War II-era\u00a0Essex<\/em>-class sustained from Japanese air attacks.<\/p>\n

\"f-4j\n<\/picture>
A F-4J Phantom II<\/a> from squadron VF-74 ready on the catapult on board USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>. Image:\u00a0U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That included dividing the three fire bays with thick steel doors that could greatly restrict the spread of fire. That is a feature that has been present on all U.S. carriers since the Second World War. Moreover, the ships were further developed as the U.S. military was engaged in combat operations in Vietnam, and that played a role in certain design aspects.<\/p>\n

\"soviet\n<\/picture>
A U.S. Navy F-4J Phantom fighter escorts a Soviet Union Tupolev TU-95 \u201cBear\u201d as it flies past the USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0in July 1976. Image:\u00a0U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was determined that the increased capabilities of the warships were as important as survivability, especially as these massive capital ships were seen as less vulnerable to attack.<\/p>\n

\"waist\n<\/picture>
Lt. Scott Small mans the Integrated Catapult Control System (ICCS) in the Waist Bubble of the USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0during flight operations. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Though initially categorized as \u201cattack carriers,\u201d since the construction of the third\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>-class carrier USS\u00a0Carl Vinson<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-70), the ships were designed to be utilized in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, as well as sea and air blockade, mine laying, and missile strikes on land, air, and sea.<\/p>\n

A Class Above the Rest <\/h2>\n

A total of 10\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>-class carriers were constructed between 1968 and 2006 at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. And though USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-68) arrived too late to see actions in Southeast Asia, she took part in combat operations during the 1991 Gulf War and its aftermath.<\/p>\n

\"uss\n<\/picture>
The U.S. Navy\u2019s Blue Angels fly in the Delta Formation over the aircraft carrier USS\u00a0George H.W. Bush<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-77) off the Florida coast near Mayport Naval Station. Image:\u00a0MCS1 Terrence Siren\/U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The supercarriers have taken part in a number of humanitarian missions over the past four decades, and have been employed throughout the Global War on Terror (GWOT), including combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq \u2014 and in the 2021 withdrawal of U.S. forces in the former.<\/p>\n

\"uss\n<\/picture>
The USS\u00a0Carl Vinson<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-70) launches a RIM-7M Sea Sparrow missile during a live fire launch exercise following a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The latest to join the fleet was USS\u00a0George H.W. Bush<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-77), which was commissioned in 2009. She is expected to remain in service until the late 2050s.<\/p>\n

Power Projection<\/h2>\n

The largest capital ships in the world until the arrival of the\u00a0Gerald R. Ford-<\/em>class, these supercarriers were truly floating air bases \u2014 with an angled flight deck that is 238 meters (780 feet) in length, and fitted with three arrester wires and an arrester net for recovering aircraft.<\/p>\n

\"uss\n<\/picture>
A port view of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS\u00a0Dwight D. Eisenhower<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-69) underway. Commissioned in 1977, it was the second\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>-class carrier to enter service. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The hanger is 7.8 meters (25 feet, 7 inches) high, and it can accommodate around 40 to 50 percent of the aircraft embarked at any one time, while the remainder can be stored on the flight deck. Four deck-edge elevators are available with two forward and one aft of the island on the starboard side and one on the port side.<\/p>\n

\"sailor\n<\/picture>
ABAN Maria Ramoscarver, covered in grease, assists in replacing an arresting recovery wire aboard the USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0during a Maritime Security Operations deployment. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Carrier Air Wing can include four squadrons of F\/A-18 Hornets\/Super Hornets, an electronic attack squadron with EA-8B Prowlers, an early warning squadron with E-2C Hawkeyes, and an ASW squadron with SH-60 helicopters.<\/p>\n

\"navigator\n<\/picture>
QM3 Lisa Hutchins plots the ship\u2019s course aboard the aircraft carrier USS\u00a0Ronald Reagan<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-76). Image:\u00a0MCS3 Charles D. Gaddis IV\/U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In September 2020, USS\u00a0Carl Vinson<\/em>\u00a0(CVN 70) became the first carrier to deploy with the F-35C, the carrier-variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Last year, USS\u00a0Abraham Lincoln<\/em>\u00a0(CVN 72) deployed to the Western Pacific with F-35Cs as part of its air wing, while USS\u00a0George H. W. Bush<\/em>\u00a0(CVN 77) emerged in August 2021 from a Drydock Planned Incremental Availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, and subsequently operated the F-35C in mid-December of that same year for the first time. The U.S. Navy\u2019s next aircraft carrier to receive modifications to operate the F-35C Lightning II strike fighter<\/a> will be the USS\u00a0George Washington<\/em>\u00a0(CVN 73), according to the U.S. Navy.<\/p>\n

Nuclear-Powered Floating Cities<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>-class carriers are powered by two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors and four steam turbines, generating 19 MW (260,000 shp), and technically each has unlimited endurance. The ships can reach a maximum speed of 31.5 knots.<\/p>\n

\"surgery\n<\/picture>
The USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0has full medical facilities among its many services. Here surgeons perform an appendectomy in a\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0operating room while at sea. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Though the flattops can carry considerable fuel and ordnance for the aircraft onboard, each also needs to feed more than 5,500 people \u2014 including the ship\u2019s complement of 3,200 sailors, as well as 2,480 manning the air group. The supercarriers can stock at least a 70-day supply of refrigerated and dry storage goods. The Food Services Department can provide up to 20,000 meals a day.<\/p>\n

Each of the carriers also has its own library, supermarket, TV and radio stations.<\/p>\n

Future of the Fleet<\/h2>\n

With the arrival of CVN-77 more than a decade ago, the U.S. Navy won\u2019t be building any additional Nimitz-class carriers. Yet, as noted, the remaining carriers have years and decades of future service.<\/p>\n

\"f-35\n<\/picture>
An F-35C Lightning II from the \u201cRough Raiders\u201d of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 makes an arrested landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>. Image:\u00a0MCS2 Bryant Lang\/U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is due to the midlife refueling\/complex overhaul (RCOH), which essentially doubles the service life of nuclear-powered warships. In fact, the RCOH for the USS\u00a0Nimitz\u00a0<\/em>was only the fourth time it was accomplished on a nuclear aircraft carrier when it was completed in 2001, according to the RAND Corporation. It took five years of planning and three years of execution.<\/p>\n

\"uss\n<\/picture>
Planes of Carrier Air Wing 11 perform a fly-by performance for sailors and their family members on a tiger cruise aboard the aircraft carrier USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>. Image:\u00a0MCSS Aiyana S. Paschal\/U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It wasn\u2019t exactly smooth sailing either, as it involved numerous budget and work-requirement changes, as well as a four-month labor-union strike during the overhaul, which caused the scheduled completion of the project to slip by several months and resulted in significant cost growth.<\/p>\n

\"x-47b\n<\/picture>
The USS\u00a0George H.W. Bush<\/em>\u00a0(CVN-77) is the first aircraft carrier to successfully catapult launch an unmanned aircraft. Shown is an X-47B being readied on the starboard catapult. Image:\u00a0U.S. Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One issue is that Newport News Shipbuilding, which constructed the vessels, is also the only U.S. shipyard with the capability to build and refuel nuclear aircraft carriers. It is a complicated affair that literally sees the ship taken apart and put back together \u2014 a process that is a bit like taking apart a LEGO playset!<\/p>\n

\"uss\n<\/picture>
The USS\u00a0Eisenhower<\/em>\u00a0transits the Suez Canal through Egypt in the 1980s. At the time of this writing, the\u00a0Eisenhower<\/em>\u00a0is deployed to the Mediterranean. Image:\u00a0NARA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This also explains why the scrapping of the USS\u00a0Nimitz<\/em>\u00a0will be a costly and complicated affair. It is the downside to having such a powerful and capable warship. These supercarriers can project power around the world, and are reported to be extremely difficult to destroy (we hope anyway) \u2014 but it also means that maintaining and then disposing of them won\u2019t be exactly easy!<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the \u201cGo To Forum Thread\u201d link below to jump in!<\/em><\/p>\n

Join the Discussion<\/span><\/h5>\n

Go to forum thread<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n


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By Peter Suciu Nitmiz-class aircraft carriers have projected U.S. power around the globe for nearly 50 years. These nuclear-powered warships have been the backbone of the U.S. Navy \u2014 protecting shipping lanes, delivering precision strikes against our enemies and covering troops on the ground. In this article, Peter Suciu explains where these carriers have been […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1556,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1555"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1555\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}