USS Nimitz Returns to Sea After Seven Months in Port
After seven months in port, the USS Nimitz is back at sea, ready to resume operations. The aircraft carrier, CVN 68, returned to the waters on Friday, June 22, following a period of sea trials.
The carrier had been docked at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for over half a year, undergoing a planned incremental availability (PIA) period. During this time, the ship underwent extensive maintenance and updates to its systems. The focus of this maintenance period was on updating the flight deck and aircraft elevators, as well as making improvements to the combat system and berthing features, according to the U.S. Navy.
Captain Douglas Graber, the commanding officer of the USS Nimitz, expressed his gratitude to the dedicated Navy team and the public and private sector maintenance professionals at the shipyard for their hard work in ensuring the carrier was in peak condition. He emphasized the importance of their efforts in maintaining a strong and professional presence wherever the nation requires.
The completion of the ship’s maintenance and upgrades was on schedule, following the start of the process in January. Before entering port, the Nimitz had been deployed in the Pacific theater for seven months, focusing on freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea.
The USS Nimitz, the oldest American aircraft carrier still in service, is set to be decommissioned in 2026 as part of the U.S. Navy’s plan to phase out older carriers for newer ones. The ship had previously undergone a 10-month overhaul in port before its Pacific deployment.
In January, three sailors assigned to the USS Nimitz were involved in a fight in the barracks while at port, resulting in one sailor being injured after being stabbed. This past week, they were formally charged in a military court, as reported by the Kitsap Sun.
The USS Nimitz is one of the Navy’s 11 currently operating aircraft carriers. The Department of Defense recently announced that the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was leaving the Middle East waters after eight months, with the USS Theodore Roosevelt and its carrier strike group moving to replace it. The USS Theodore Roosevelt had recently made a stop in South Korea before heading to the Pacific theater.
As the USS Nimitz sets sail once again, it symbolizes the dedication and hard work of the Navy personnel and maintenance professionals who ensure the readiness and effectiveness of the U.S. Navy’s fleet.
