US Aircraft Carrier Seen Sailing Near Iran

Satellite imagery recently tracked the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier sailing near Iran. According to reports, two US maritime surveillance planes and a pair of helos connected to the lead ship of the Nimitz-class were tracked flying above the Strait of Hormuz, signaling that the carrier’s location was nearby. In August, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 arrived in Bahrain for a scheduled port call, accompanied by Carrier Air Wing 17 and destroyers USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee and USS Gridley. Nimitz embarked on what is meant to be her final deployment back in March, after serving the Navy for half a century. When the carrier left Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, for its final tour to the Indo-Pacific region, the Navy said on social media, “Seeing our Sailors man the rails today — with reflections from our very first deployment in 1976 — reminds us how far we’ve come, and how strong our legacy remains.” In her final tour, the service noted that Nimitz “will focus on protecting security, freedom, and prosperity for the United States, our allies and partners, and demonstrating the U.S. Navy’s unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

USS Nimitz, and the rest of her class, was named to honor World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W. Nimitz, who served as the Navy’s third fleet admiral. As the lead ship of her class, USS Nimitz has remained in service for half a century. She was officially commissioned at Naval Station Norfolk in 1975 by the 38th president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford. Each of the 10 Nimitz carriers was constructed by Newport News Shipbuilding Company. Due to their nuclear power source, these ships are able to operate for more than two decades without requiring refueling. Two A4W pressurized water reactors power the ships, unlike earlier carrier classes, which were fueled by diesel-electric systems or gas turbines.

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