USS Nimitz is expected to change homeports from Washington state to Norfolk next spring, as the Navy gets ready to decommission its oldest aircraft carrier.
The USS Nimitz, the first ship of its class, was commissioned in 1975 and It has been stationed in Bremerton, Washington. The ship and its 3,000 sailors will switch to Norfolk for the last time.
Last year, Huntington Ingalls Industries received an $11 million contract to begin deactivating the carrier. It is scheduled to begin defueling its nuclear reactors at Newport News Shipbuilding in 2026.
The carrier recently completed maintenance to extend its service life. Nimitz class aircraft carriers are designed to last 50 years.
USS Nimitz was homeported in Norfolk for more than a decade before moving to Washington in 1987. It has also been based in San Diego. The ship and its crew have been at Naval Base Kitsap in Washington since 2015. Over its life, the carrier deployed around the world, including multiple times to the Persian Gulf, providing support during Operation Desert Storm and the Iraq War.
While the crew prepared to switch coasts, Norfolk recently received its sixth Virginia class submarine. USS Oregon and its crew of 135 sailors and officers arrived from Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut on Friday. Commissioned in May 2022, USS Oregon is one of the newest ships in the fleet.
“After finishing sea trials and building our tactical war fighting edge, we’re looking forward to working with our Squadron Six teammates and bringing the fight to the enemy,” said Cmdr. John H. Ross.
