The extension was confirmed by a Navy official who explained the revised timeline for the historic vessel. “Accordingly, the U.S. Navy plans to inactivate the ship in 2027,” the official told USNI News in a statement issued on Saturday.
As part of the preparations for the carrier’s retirement, the Navy has awarded a $96 million contract to HII Newport News Shipbuilding. The agreement covers advanced planning and the procurement of long-lead materials required ahead of the ship’s inactivation at the Virginia shipyard in March 2027.
USS Nimitz completed what had been expected to be its final full operational deployment in December. It remains unclear whether the carrier will conduct another deployment during the additional months of service.
The vessel underwent its midlife refueling overhaul in 2001, and the Navy closely manages the amount of nuclear fuel remaining in its carriers. In previous cases, carriers awaiting retirement or refueling have often been used for training aviators or local exercises.
The decision to extend the ship’s service comes amid delays in the delivery of the second Ford-class aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), currently under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding. As of February, the vessel was expected to be delivered to the Navy in March 2027.
Maintaining sufficient carrier numbers remains a statutory requirement for the Navy. A 2011 law mandates that the service sustain a force of at least 11 operational aircraft carriers.
On Saturday, USS Nimitz departed Naval Station North Island in California. The carrier began a transit around the southern tip of South America before participating in a series of exercises in the U.S. Southern Command area.
Following those activities, the ship will relocate to its new homeport at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. The carrier will then proceed to Newport News Shipbuilding for nuclear defueling and inactivation under the updated schedule.
Source: USNI News.
