Earlier this month, the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz diverged from its scheduled deployment trajectory in the South China Sea and began heading west. According to reports, the massive Nimitz-class warship was headed in the direction of the Middle East after its expected port call in Vietnam on June 20 was canceled. One source told Reuters that Hanoi and the US Embassy in Vietnam had confirmed the nixed reception was due to “an emergent operational requirement.” Over the last two weeks, the United States launched a high-stakes air campaign targeting Tehran’s nuclear facilities. While a ceasefire mediated by the United States and Qatar days later was designed to quell the Iran-Israel war, stability in the region remains rocky at best. Dispatching an additional Nimitz carrier to the scene is likely meant to provide an extra deterrent to dissuade Tehran and its regional proxy groups from prolonging the conflict.
What Was USS Nimitz Doing in the South China Sea?
Prior to the Nimitz’s departure toward the west, the oldest US aircraft carrier in service carried out operations in the contested waters. As part of these “maritime security operations,” the carrier strike group conducted flight operations, tactical training, and maritime strike exercises. In a press release published earlier this month, Rear Admiral Fred Goldhammer, commander of the Nimitz carrier strike group, noted “We are here in the South China Sea to build proficiency while showcasing the carrier strike group’s ability to maintain warfighting advantage and execute flight operations supporting the full spectrum of operations.” The People’s Liberation Army Navy has simultaneously deployed both of its operational carriers to the waters beyond the First Island Chain.
An Overview of the Nimitz
USS Nimitz is the oldest ship in its class, having sailed the seas with the Navy for half a century. One of the largest warships across the globe, CVN-68, along with its sister ships, ensures America’s power projection capabilities out at sea are always met. The Nimitz ships were named to honor World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W. Nimitz; the carrier was first authorized by Congress in fiscal year 1967. Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. constructed the lead Nimitz warship, which measures more than 1,000 feet in length with a beam of over 290 feet. Unlike the gas turbines or diesel-electric systems incorporated for propulsion on the majority of other modern vessels, the Nimitz carriers are powered by two A4W pressurized water reactors. Steam catapults aboard these carriers help provide lift for the heavier airframes that fly and take off from the flight deck. Additionally, the Nimitz class can carry two or three Rim-7 Sea Sparrow or RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile Mk 29 missile launchers, in addition to three of our 20mm Phalanx CIWS.
USS Nimitz is currently part of Carrier Strike Group Eleven (CSG-11) with Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CWN-17). Notably, its ongoing deployment is set to be its last, as the respected carrier is set to be retired by the end of the year.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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