Soon to be replaced, Nimitz-class aircraft carriers still make enemies tremble

The Nimitz aircraft carrier was commissioned in 1975, becoming the largest warship in the US Navy at that time. However, to have a comprehensive view of the Nimitz as well as other aircraft carriers of the same class, we will have to go back to the 60s of the last century.

At that time, the Navy's old aircraft carriers were "retired" and the US was in the process of popularizing nuclear-powered engines for warships in its fleet. After considering operating costs and service time, the Pentagon decided to build three new aircraft carriers equipped with their own nuclear reactors, marking the birth of the Nimitz class.

USS Nimitz aircraft carrier.

On June 22, 1968, the Navy launched its first ship named Nimitz. This ship was designed based on the experience of building traditional aircraft carriers and the USS Enterprise (the first nuclear aircraft carrier of the US). Therefore, Nimitz still retains many features of its predecessor such as diagonal runway, "island" conning tower and 4 steam-powered launch systems. Compared to Kitty Hawk - the last class of oil-powered aircraft carriers of the US Navy - the Nimitz class is only about 7 meters longer but weighs 19,000 tons more. According to the military website We Are Almighty, each ship of this class carries more than 5,000 people, of which 60% are staff, officers maintaining and operating the ship.

America's last conventionally powered aircraft carrier, the USS Kitty Hawk.

With nuclear reactors, USS Nimitz and its class of ships have advantages that their predecessors did not have: low operating costs, fast speed and acceleration and deceleration, and reduced fuel requirements.

Over the past 30 years, the US has built 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, of which the USS George HW Bush is the most modern. The last ship of the Nimitz class is integrated with the most modern technologies such as the “bulbous bow” design to increase hull efficiency, a new, more compact and modern command tower, and upgraded launch and recovery systems. Not only that, the ship control system and aircraft fuel storage system are also improved.

However, it was the USS Nimitz's air wings that made its enemies tremble. During the Cold War, aircraft carriers typically carried two squadrons of F-14 Tomcat air superiority fighters (12 each), two squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet multi-role fighters (12 each), one squadron of A-6 Intruder attack aircraft (10), one squadron of E-2 Hawkeye early warning and control aircraft (4-6), ten S-3A anti-submarine aircraft, one squadron of EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft (4) and one squadron of SH-3 anti-submarine helicopters (6). The number and types of aircraft would vary depending on the mission the fleet undertook.

Nowadays, with the development of technology, the US squadrons have also "changed their skin". Specifically, the Navy has decommissioned and replaced the F-14 Tomcat with the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and the EA-6B Prowler with the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare attack aircraft. In addition, the "veterans" A-6 Intruder and S-3A Viking have also been "retired" by the Pentagon. This has left the aircraft carrier fleet with only about 60 aircraft (25-30 fewer than during the Cold War).

A Nimitz-class aircraft carrier with all its aircraft on board.

With their power, Nimitz-class aircraft carriers have been present in most of the crises and conflicts that the US has been involved in over the past three decades. Famous incidents with the Nimitz's mark include the failed rescue of hostages at the US embassy in Tehran (Iran) in 1980 and the shooting down of two Su-22 Fitters of the Libyan Air Force in 1981.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt of this class also participated in Operation Desert Storm and the NATO military campaign in Yugoslavia in 1999. In addition, this ship, along with the USS Carl Vinson, also carried out air strikes against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Since 2001, almost all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers have participated in air operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In the future, the US Navy plans to replace the Nimitz class with the Ford class, which is considered to be much more modern, powerful and effective. However, according to We Are Almighty, 10 aircraft carriers of this class will continue to be a "power" at sea for about 20-30 years. Military experts also say that the name Nimitz, even though it will be replaced by Ford, will still be a great monument in the history of US national defense.