USS Nimitz Leads Southern Seas 2026 With Rio de Janeiro Port Call

Overview

• U.S. officials confirmed the nuclear carrier will be the centerpiece of Operation Southern Seas 2026 with a scheduled stop in Rio de Janeiro.
• The mission is coordinated by the U.S. 4th Fleet under Southern Command with participation from ten countries in the Western Hemisphere.
• The carrier sails with the destroyer USS Gridley, Destroyer Squadron 9, and Carrier Air Wing 17 with combat, electronic-warfare, transport aircraft, and helicopters.
• Plans include at-sea drills, expert exchanges, and hosted visits to watch carrier strike group operations up close.
• Brazil’s airspace authority issued cautions for flights near the ship in Guanabara Bay, urging pilots to avoid flying over the mast.