The USS Nimitz spent decades at sea, but it’s not exactly the same ship it was in 1975. Each time it went in for refueling, it also underwent overhauls. The first of these occurred from 1983 to 1984, with the second from 1998 until 2001. Each time the ship is overhauled, it’s given the latest tech to bring it up to speed with the other vessels in its class. While there are 10 Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, the design changed throughout the building process, which concluded in 2006 with the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77).
That ship is more advanced now than on its first deployment. Unfortunately, despite its extensive service record and retained combat capabilities, the Nimitz won’t remain in operation forever. The U.S. Navy switched to new Ford-class carriers with the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) commissioning in 2017.
As of 2024, the USS Nimitz has been in service for 49 years, but it was initially slated for retirement in 2022. That didn’t happen, and its new end-of-life date is expected to be sometime in fiscal year 2026, which begins in October 2025. It takes some time to decommission an aircraft carrier like the Nimitz, so it wouldn’t become inactive until 2027 if the plan holds. Once decommissioned, which is a costly and difficult process, the Nimitz will retire to Newport News, Virginia.
