The aging USS Nimitz sails into conflict once more, marking a symbolic end to its storied career as US military movements signal rising tensions with Iran.
The United States Navy’s oldest operational aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, is now on what is likely to be the historic vessel’s final deployment. It wouldn’t ever be a farewell cruise, but few of her crew likely expected that the warship would head into a war zone.
On Monday, the lead vessel of the Nimitz-class of nuclear-powered supercarriers transited the Strait of Malacca, bound for the Indian Ocean after canceling a planned port visit to Vietnam. It is now being reported that the USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East and will likely join USS Carl Vinson, which has been operating in the region since earlier this spring.
The US Sends Warships and Aircraft All Around the World
The USS Carl Vinson, the third Nimitz-class aircraft carrier built for the US Navy, is now operating in the Arabian Sea, leading to speculation that the United States could support Israel’s ongoing combat operations against Iran. It was on Friday that more than 200 Israeli aircraft carried out a series of massive strikes at targets throughout the Islamic Republic to cripple Tehran’s nuclear program. At the same time, multiple senior Iranian military officials and atomic scientists were also targeted and killed.
In addition to deploying the carrier to the Middle East, the United States Air Force has deployed approximately 30 KC-135R and KC-46A aerial refueling aircraft to Europe. There is speculation that the tankers could be positioned in Europe to support Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, but also that the conflict in the Middle East could escalate with the US preparing to strike Iran.
The US had positioned at least six Northrop B-2 Spirit bombers at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. There has been no indication that other bombers could be deployed to Europe; however, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has maintained a regular presence in the region.
The USS Nimitz Is 50 Years Old
The deployment of the USS Nimitz, named for World War II US Navy Admiral Chester Nimitz, coincides with the 50th anniversary of its commissioning in 1975. During the ceremony, then-President Ford suggested, “Wherever the United States Ship Nimitz shows her flag, she will be seen as we see her, a solid symbol of United States strength, United States resolve, made in America and manned by Americans.”
Those words have been valid for the past five decades.
The carrier’s third deployment, which began in September 1979, also saw the ship sent to the Middle East in response to the Iran hostage crisis. It was from the deck of the carrier that the US launched Operation Evening Light, the ill-fated attempt to rescue the US Embassy staff. However, the mission was aborted following a helicopter crash before it reached Tehran.
Throughout the 1980s, the supercarrier was regularly deployed around the world.
In 1988, it provided security off South Korea’s coast during the Seoul Olympic Games. In 2003, during her eleventh operational deployment, the USS Nimitz took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom, launching Carrier Air Wing 11 aircraft over 11 times, and Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The USS Nimitz was given its close-up twice.
The USS Nimitz appeared in the 1980 sci-fi historical drama The Final Countdown, in which the warship was sent back in time to December 1941.
In 2005, when the flattop commemorated 30 years of service, film crews spent an entire deployment on board for the PBS documentary Carrier, providing an intimate look at life aboard the ship.
More recently, during the vessel’s 2017 deployment, elements of her air wing took part in combat operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, followed by a period of overhaul. With the old warship set to be retired in 2026, she is now on what is almost sure to be her final deployment, and that will include time in very familiar (and troubled) waters.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner Jr.
