The Navy expects the USS George H.W. Bush to remain in service through the 2050’s. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the $6.5 billion carrier underwent extensive maintenance and repairs in Norfolk and re-entered service in 2021.
In all, the Nimitz-class is a shining example of military ingenuity and a staple of the US Naval force structure. And while the Nimitz’s replacement is beginning to enter service, the Nimitz should be around for another few decades.
With one massive nuclear-powered aircraft carrier already in the dangerous waters of the eastern Mediterranean - USS Gerald R. Ford, said to be the world s biggest warship - another, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, is heading for the same crisis zone. Here Iain Ballantyne plunges us into the adrenalin-pumping world aboard such ships, while providing the perspective of a senior officer on what his vessel can offer today in order to enforce the peace.
The carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and her escorts have arrived in the Eastern Mediterrranean, sending a message of support for Israel and a warning to ot.