USS Nimitz leaves for home port shift as US Navy mulls future carrier fleet

A Super Hornet makes approach to land aboard USS Nimitz , shown here, which is now on its last expected scheduled deployment. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

Aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) departed Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington, on 7 March for the last time in its 51-year service history, as part of a scheduled home port shift to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia for what is expected to be its final deployment, US Navy (USN) officials confirmed.

During the transit, the ship is also slated to participate in the ‘Southern Seas 2026' exercises as it deploys to the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility.

Commissioned on 3 May 1975, the first-of-class ship is nearing the end of its service life just as USN officials are considering changes to carrier fleet size and ship designs, even as the service's largest warships have conducted some of the most high-profile and combat-oriented missions in the past several decades.

Mostly recently, Nimitz returned to Bremerton in December 2025 after nine months underway in the US 3rd, 5th, and 7th fleets. As flagship of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (NIMCSG) during this period, Nimitz and her crew completed more than 8,500 sorties and 17,000 flight hours, carried out 50 replenishments-at-sea aboard the carrier, and sailed over 82,000 n miles combined, the USN said in a 10 March release.

In addition, the NIMCSG supported US Africa Command operations by conducting strikes against targets in Somalia province.

The carrier set to replace Nimitz in the USN fleet, carrier John F Kennedy (CVN 79) being built by HIIʼs Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), completed builderʼs sea trials in early February.

Kennedyʼs