The USS Nimitz during the Malabar 2020 exercises in the Indian Ocean, November 20, 2020. The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. U.S. Navy Photo
The nearly 50-year old USS Nimitz, the lead vessel of its class, departed from the Naval Air Station in San Diego for what is likely to be its final deployment. The vessel traveled down the West Coast from its Washington state homeport, Bremerton, last week to onboard Carrier Air Wing 17.
It is now set to begin its final patrol in Indo-Pacific waters. Following the deployment the vessel is expected to begin the lengthy decommissioning process in 2026. The Navy intends to use salvageable parts to maintain her sister ships.
The famed aircraft carrier had been home-ported in San Diego from 2001 to 2012. During this time it supported operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“Nimitz is in its 50th year of service continues and celebrates its legacy of building alliances, demonstrating the power of teamwork and cooperation in maintaining maritime stability and global security,” the Nimitz spokesperson, Lt. Cmdr. Tim Pietrack said in a statement last week upon the departure from Bremerton.
When it was commissioned in 1975 it followed the “Big E” USS Enterprise as only the second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. While Enterprise remained the only vessel of its class, the Nimitz became the lead vessel of what became a 10-vessel strong fleet. It has since been superseded by the Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, which entered into service in 2017.
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