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Navy Pushes USS Nimitz Decommissioning to March 2027, Awards $96 Million Planning Deal

The move preserves the congressionally required 11‑carrier force pending delivery of USS John F. Kennedy in 2027.

The retirement date of the USS Nimitz has been extended from this May into 2027, the Navy confirmed.
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steams in the Pacific Ocean, Oct. 5, 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Carson Croom)
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Overview

  • The Navy confirmed the nearly 51‑year‑old carrier will now be inactivated in March 2027 instead of this May.
  • HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding received a $96 million contract for advance planning and long‑lead materials to prepare for inactivation and reactor defueling, with work slated to conclude by March 2027.
  • Nimitz departed Bremerton on March 7 for a homeport shift to Norfolk and is scheduled to conduct Southern Seas 2026 exercises under U.S. Southern Command en route.
  • The schedule aligns Nimitz’s retirement with the planned delivery and commissioning of John F. Kennedy (CVN‑79) in March 2027, sustaining the fleet at the 11‑carrier statutory minimum.
  • Officials and reporting indicate the carrier is unlikely to undertake further frontline deployments, with expected use limited to local operations or training before inactivation at Newport News.