On Saturday, March 14, 2026, the industry outlet Breaking Defense reported that the United States Navy will keep the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68), a Nimitz-class vessel, in service longer due to delays in the delivery of the next-generation USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), a Gerald R. Ford-class carrier.
USS Nimitz (CVN-68) / Photo: US Navy
According to a United States Navy official, amid an uncertain international security environment, extended combat deployments, and delays in the delivery of its successor, the oldest Nimitz-class aircraft carrier will remain in service until March 2027 instead of May 2026, as previously planned (in April 2022). This will allow the Navy to maintain the congressionally mandated force level of 11 aircraft carriers.
On March 7, the ship departed its homeport of Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington, and sailed to Norfolk as part of a planned homeport shift for the final months of its service, which will reach 52 years. After decommissioning, a year-long Ship Terminal Off-load Program (STOP) will begin, followed by the removal of nuclear fuel from the reactors at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Newport News (the fuel was loaded in 2001).
The carrier returned to Bremerton in December 2025 after completing a nine-month deployment under United States Central Command as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian against Yemeni Houthi forces, as well as under United States Indo-Pacific Command, also supporting United States Africa Command. During the deployment, its carrier air wing conducted 8,500 combat sorties totaling 17,000 flight hours against the Islamic State in Somalia.
The 10-month service extension will not come without cost. On Friday, March 13, Naval Sea Systems Command awarded a 95,703,960 USD contract to Huntington Ingalls Inc. for advance planning and procurement of long-lead materials required to prepare and execute the deactivation of USS Nimitz (CVN-68), with completion scheduled for March 2027. The initial funding amounts to 32,695,077 USD and will expire on September 30 of this year. Preparations for this process began in March of last year, when the first funds were allocated to HII.
Meanwhile, its successor, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), began its first sea trials on January 28 this year. The carrier was originally scheduled for delivery in 2022, later postponed to July 2025, and ultimately delayed to March 2027, hence the decision to extend USS Nimitz’s service.