We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

That 1 Word: Age. But would that be a mistake for the Nimitz-class? 

Key Points: The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers remain vital assets even as Ford-class carriers enter service. Initially slated for retirement on a one-for-one basis with the arrival of Ford-class carriers, their continued operational effectiveness has sparked calls for extending their service.

-Upgraded Nimitz carriers, such as the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, have demonstrated their value in conflict zones like the Red Sea.

-They use advanced technology and modern tactics to intercept threats and contribute to new naval warfare doctrine.

-Maintaining these carriers ensures the U.S. Navy meets global demands and enhances stability in strategic regions.

Why Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carriers Still Matter in a Ford-Class World

US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carriers have operated as symbols of stability and deterrence throughout key places worldwide for decades and consistently projected power in support of massive sea-based air campaign attacks. 

These are reasons why the global Combatant Commander demand for carriers has exceeded what is available for years, driving an ongoing debate regarding the actual number of aircraft carriers the US Navy truly needs. 

This question is again center-stage as the US Navy continues to build Ford-class carriers, raising the question of how and when existing Nimitz-class carriers should be retired.  

It makes sense for the Navy to postpone any Nimitz-class retirements to allow upgraded carriers to help ensure global stability and accommodate Navy demand. 

(Oct. 17, 2021) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) transits the Bay of Bengal as part of Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX), Oct. 16, 2021. MPX 2021 is a multilateral maritime exercise between the Royal Australian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, U.K. Royal Navy, and U.S. maritime forces, focused on naval cooperation, interoperability and regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific and is an example of the enduring partnership between Australian, Japanese, U.K. and U.S. maritime forces, who routinely operate together in the Indo-Pacific, fostering a cooperative approach toward regional security and stability. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Russell Lindsey)

Nimitz & Ford-Class Replacement Plan

The initial Navy plan first articulated more than 10 years ago before the arrival of the USS Ford, was to retire one Nimitz carrier for each Ford-class carrier that arrives in a cyclical one-for-one fashion.

This process is intended to continue into the future as Ford-class carriers arrive.

However, the current global environment and demand for carriers raises questions about whether it makes sense for the Navy to retire Nimitz carriers quickly as Ford’s arrive.  

The answer would seem to be a clear “no” for many interwoven reasons. 

Nimitz-class carriers have been significantly upgraded and sustained over decades and have proven their worth in countless strategic and operational situations. 

While there is an ongoing debate about the survivability of aircraft carriers in an age when Chinese and possibly even Iranian shore-launched anti-ship missiles can place them at risk, there is little to no question about the value carriers continue to provide. 

Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier “IKE” Carrier in Red Sea

There are far too many examples of this to cite, yet the recent aircraft carrier presence in the Mediterranean comes to mind.  

The Pentagon was clear following the outbreak of the Israeli-Hamas war that the US Navy presence in the region was intended to “prevent” escalation and act as a stabilizing force. 

This happened for months following the start of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, as the US presence did seem to prevent further escalation in the initial months of the conflict. 

Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier. Image Credit: U.S. Navy

American Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman is pictured during flying operations in the company of HMS Somerset in the Mediterranean. HMS Somerset was perforing anti-submarine duties for the immense vessel at the the time.

An most significant impact, however, was the ability of US Nimitz-class carriers to protect US bases, equipment, and personnel throughout the region. 

The presence of US aircraft carriers functioned as a powerful deterrent, ensuring the possibility of an immediate air attack response.  

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Ford operated as a strong and stabilizing force throughout the Mediterranean for months, ensuring surveillance and rapid response capability. 

Modernized Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carriers

More specifically, the presence of the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group 2 in the Red Sea prevented escalation and significantly protected Israel, the US Navy, and commercial shipping in the area. 

The “Ike” aircraft carrier, a Nimitz-class, substantially proved its worth in considerable measure by using its carrier-launched aircraft to track and destroy Houthi drones from the air. 

What the U.S. Navy Told Us 

Commanding Officer of the US Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 2, Rear Adm. Javon “Hak” Hakimsadeh, Commander of Carrier Strike Group 2, told me that upgraded weapons systems within the group were able to successfully track and intercept Houthi drones and missiles with cutting-edge technology. 

In one case, he explained an F-18 Growler aircraft could track and destroy attacking Houthi drones with an upgraded AIM-9X. “Haks” description of the Carrier Strike Group 2’s performance in the Red Sea seems to verify that Nimitz-class carriers can accommodate upgrades and surge into the future in highly relevant ways. 

Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier. Image: Creative Commons.

(April 28, 2017) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits Puget Sound enroute to its homeport at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton. The return to homeport marks the end of an underway with its carrier strike group, having successfully completed its composite training unit exercise and is now fully certified to deploy. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Vaughan Dill/Released)

“Putting together that kill chain went with the Aegis platform which picked up and classified what that threat was. It provides a universal picture of the strike group to include airplanes. With the ship’s radar you can designate a particular track,” Hak explained, as published in November in Warrior Maven. 

New Naval Warfare Doctrine 

Hak also said that upgraded weapons systems, networking, and modern tactics used in the Red Sea by a Nimitz carrier helped generate new maritime warfare doctrine. 

“Doctrine is what allows us to set up within the Red Sea to be able to put in place command   and control measures, airspace control measures or battle management areas or restricted operating zones to be able to manage the complexity of a multi -domain fight without spending a whole lot of time sorting things out,” Hakimsadeh, told Warrior Maven in a report in November, 2024. 

To be frank: It seems that the U.S. Navy needs as many Nimitz-Class aircraft carriers as possible. 

About the Author: Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is the Military Affairs Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.