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End of an Era: The U.S. Navy’s Longest-Serving Aircraft Carrier Sets Sail for Its Last Mission
Image Credits: U.S. Navy
The USS Nimitz, the oldest aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy fleet, has embarked on what could be its final mission before retirement.
Commissioned back in 1975, this iconic vessel has played a crucial role in numerous operations over its extraordinary 50-year lifespan. Recently, it departed from Naval Air Station North Island in san Diego and is now heading to the Indo-Pacific region. The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group made its way to California after leaving Naval base Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington, on March 21, 2025.
Once this deployment wraps up,plans are already set for decommissioning the ship in 2026. some of its parts will be salvaged for use on other carriers within the fleet.
The strike group comprises not only the USS nimitz but also nine squadrons from Carrier Air Wing 17 and four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers from Destroyer squadron 9.
In a previous six-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific during 2023, Nimitz participated in significant exercises like U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Large Scale Global Exercise and provided disaster relief efforts following Typhoon Mawar’s impact on Guam.
This latest mission aims to uphold freedom and security for both America and its allies while showcasing a commitment to maintaining an open Indo-pacific region—an essential goal highlighted by recent Navy communications.
As one of the largest ships globally as it first set sail for Mediterranean waters back in 1976, USS Nimitz has been involved in pivotal operations such as Desert Storm and Southern Watch during the ’90s. It also played a vital role during Operation Iraqi Freedom and contributed substantially to global counter-terrorism efforts.
Now celebrating half a century of service with an impressive legacy behind it, Nimitz stands as a testament to building international partnerships while demonstrating how collaboration can foster peace and security worldwide—a sentiment echoed by many
