The US Navy has postponed the retirement of its oldest carrier, USS Nimitz (CVN-68), moving its decommissioning date from May 2026 to March 2027.
This 10-month extension aligns the Nimitz’s inactivation with the delivery of the second USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), scheduled for March next year. The adjustment helps the navy comply with a 2011 law requiring a minimum of 11 active aircraft carriers, amid delays in the CVN-79 program.
According to an official quoted by Breaking Defense, the timing coincides with the carrier’s anticipated final journey in early March, traveling from Naval Base Kitsap to Naval Station Norfolk. Before returning to Bremerton in December 2025, Nimitz completed its last full deployment supporting missions under US Central Command and US Indo-Pacific Command.
Commissioned in May 1975, the USS Nimitz—dubbed the “Pacific Northwest’s Carrier”—was named in honor of Chester W. Nimitz, commander of the Pacific Fleet in World War II.
Powered by two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors, the carrier can reach speeds of 30 knots (55.5 km/h) and cover more than 12,000 nautical miles without refueling. During its service, Nimitz has played a role in major operations, including Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom following the September 11 attacks.
