NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Nimitz 1980

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
CVAN68, 6.1975- CVN68	Nimitz	594	Newport News SB	22.6.1968	13.5.1972	3.5.1975	in service (2020)
CVN69	Dwight D. Eisenhower	599	Newport News SB	15.8.1970	11.10.1975	18.10.1977	in service (2020)
CVN70	Carl Vinson	611	Newport News SB	11.10.1975	15.3.1980	13.3.1982	in service (2020)

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	72916
Displacement full, t	91487
Length, m	317.1 wl 331.7 oa
Breadth, m	40.8 wl 78.5 ext
Draught, m	11.2
No of shafts	4
Machinery	4 sets Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 2 Westinghouse A4W/A1G reactors
Power, h. p.	280000
Max speed, kts	31.5
Fuel, t	nuclear
Endurance, nm(kts)	practically unlimited
Armour, mm	presumably belt summary: 135, flight deck: 45, hangar deck: 50, main deck: 56
Armament	CVAN68: 2 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (24 RIM-7), ~90 aircraft (F-4, F-8, F-14 fighters, A-4, A-6, A-7, AV-8 attackers, OV-10, RA-5, RF-4, RF-8 recon planes, S-2, S-3 ASW planes, EA-3, EA-6 ECM planes, E-1, E-2 EW planes, KA-3/EKA-3, KA-6 tankers, C-1, C-2 cargo planes, AH-1, CH-3, CH-46, CH-53, RH-53, SH-2, SH-3, UH-1, UH-2 helicopters) CVN69: 2 x 8 Sea Sparrow Mk 25 SAM (24 RIM-7), ~90 aircraft (F-4, F-8, F-14 fighters, A-4, A-6, A-7, AV-8 attackers, OV-10, RA-5, RF-4, RF-8 recon planes, S-2, S-3 ASW planes, EA-3, EA-6 ECM planes, E-1, E-2 EW planes, KA-3/EKA-3, KA-6 tankers, C-1, C-2 cargo planes, AH-1, CH-3, CH-46, CH-53, RH-53, SH-2, SH-3, UH-1, UH-2 helicopters) CVN70: 3 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (24 RIM-7), 4 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, 2 x 3 - 324 Mk 32 TT, ~90 aircraft (F-4, F-8, F-14 fighters, A-4, A-6, A-7, AV-8 attackers, OV-10, RF-4, RF-8 recon planes, S-2, S-3 ASW planes, EA-3, EA-6 ECM planes, E-2 EW planes, KA-3/EKA-3, KA-6 tankers, C-1, C-2 cargo planes, AH-1, CH-3, CH-46, CH-53, RH-53, SH-2, SH-3, UH-1, UH-2 helicopters)
Electronic equipment	CVN68, 69: LN-66, SPS-43A, SPS-48, SPS-10F, SPN-42A, SPN-43B, SPN-44A, 6x Mk 91 radars, SLQ-29 ECM suite, 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL, NTDS, ASCAC CCS CVN70: LN-66, SPS-43A, SPS-48, SPS-10F, SPN-42A, SPN-43B, SPN-44A, 6x Mk 95, 4x Mk 90 radars, SLQ-29 ECM suite, 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL, NTDS, ASCAC CCS
Complement	5621

Air group

Year	Fighters	Attackers	recon, EW, ECM	ASW and auxiliary	Helicopters
1975, Nimitz	24 F-14A	24 A-7E, 10 A-6E	4 EA-6B, 4 E-2C	10 S-3A, 4 KA-6D	6 SH-3H
1980, all	24 F-14A or F-4J	24 A-7E, 10 A-6E	3 RA-5C or 3 RF-8G, 4 EA-6B, 4 E-2B/C	10 S-3A, 4 KA-6D	8 SH-3A/D/G/H
1991, all	24 F-14A	24 F/A-18A or A-7E, 10 A-6E	4 EA-6B, 4 E-2C	10 S-3A, 4 KA-6D	6 SH-3G/H
2005, all	36 F/A-18C, 14 F-14	---	4 EA-6B, 4 E-2C, 2 ES-3	8 S-3B, 2 C-2	6 SH-60
2010, all	55 F/A-18	---	4 EA-6B, 4E-2C	2 C-2A	4 SH-60F, 2 HH-60H
2013, Nimitz (CVW-11)	20 F/A-18C, 12 F/A-18E, 12 F/A-18F	---	4 EA-6B, 4 E-2C	2 C-2A	6 MH-60S, 11 MH-60R
2016, Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVW-3)	12 F/A-18C, 24 F/A-18E, 12 F/A-18F	---	4 EA-18G, 4 E-2C	2 C-2A	6 MH-60S, 6 MH-60R
2016, Carl Vinson (CVW-2)	12 F/A-18C, 24 F/A-18E, 12 F/A-18F	---	4 EA-18G, 4 E-2C	2 C-2A	6 MH-60S, 6 MH-60R
2017, standard	14 F/A-18A/D, 30 F/A-18E/F	---	6 EA-18G, 6 E-2C/D	2 C-2A	10 MH-60R/S
2018, Nimitz (CVW-11)	12 F-35C Lightning II, 12 F/A-18C Hornet, 12 F/A-18E Super Hornet, 12 F/A-18F Super Hornet	---	6 EA-18G Growler, 6 E-2C Hawkeye	2 C-2A Greyhound	6 MH-60S Knighthawk, 6 MH-60R Seahawk
2018, Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVW-3)	36 F/A-18E Super Hornet, 12 F/A-18F Super Hornet	---	6 EA-18G Growler, 6 E-2C Hawkeye	2 C-2A Greyhound	6 MH-60S Knighthawk, 6 MH-60R Seahawk
2018, Carl Vinson (CVW-2)	12 F/A-18C Hornet, 24 F/A-18E Super Hornet, 12 F/A-18F Super Hornet	---	6 EA-18G Growler, 6 E-2C Hawkeye	2 C-2A Greyhound	6 MH-60S Knighthawk, 6 MH-60R Seahawk

Standard scale images

Graphics

Aircraft facilities

 (fd - 20,400 m², ha - 6,860 m² / 55,357 m³): Flight deck: 331.7 x 76.8m. Hangar: 208.5 x 32.9 x 8.07 m (accommodating up to 40% of aircraft group). There are 4 deck-edge elevators (47.6t, 21.4/25.9 x 15.9m). There are 4 C13-1 catapults. Aircraft fuel stowage: 10 220 000 l of JP-5 jet fuel. Aviation ordnance stowage is 2970t.

Project history

With these ships the US Navy returned to building nuclear carriers of Enterprise size. They incorporate a new two-reactor power plant, developed from a project for a single reactor destroyer/frigate plant, and so have even more internal space than the huge Enterprise, in addition they incorporate the more economical (in terms of space) torpedo protection system of the Kennedy. Their general arrangement and electronic suit also duplicate those of Kennedy, and they were armed with 3 Sea Sparrow launchers for self-defence.

The first three ships (CVN68-70) are a separate sub-class. They can be distinguished further by the presence of only a single bridle-catching boom in CVN69 and 70. Current carrier aircraft employ a catapult attachment built into their landing gear, and so do not use the wire bridles of the past.

The Navy claims that these ships can take three times the damage which Essex class carriers survived in 1944-45. They are described as carrying 90% more aviation fuel and 50% more aviation ordnance than a Forrestal. All were completed with ASCAC (ASW Classification and Analysis Center), permitting data to be shared between the carrier, ASW aircraft, and escorting ships.

Ship protection

Armour protection consists of 3 protected decks (flight, hangar and lower decks) and vertical armour (side armour and longitudinal bulkheads). Also there is a box-shaped protection of magazines and vital zones. Underwater protection includes 5 longitudinal bulkheads (4th bulkhead is 76mm-thick). Bottom is also protected.

Modernizations

12.1982, Carl Vinson: - LN-66, SPS-10F, SPS-43A, SPS-48 radars, SLQ-29 ECM suite; + 63mm Kevlar protection, SPS-73, SPS-49(v)1, SPS-48E, SPS-64(v)9, SPS-67(v)1, Mk 23 TAS radars, SLQ-29A(v)2 ECM suite, 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL, SLQ-25A torpedo decoy; displacement was 81600/93300-93900t

(6/1983-7/1984), Nimitz: - 2 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (Mk 25 launchers), LN-66, SPS-10F, SPS-43A, 6x Mk 91 radars; + 63mm Kevlar protection, 3 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (Mk 29 launchers) (24 RIM-7), 3 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, SPS-73, SPS-49(v)1, SPS-64(v)9, SPS-67(v)1, 6x Mk 95, 3x Mk 90, Mk 23 TAS radars, SLQ-25A torpedo decoy; displacement was 73831(light)/94217t

(10/1985-4/1987), Dwight D. Eisenhower: - 2 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (Mk 25 launchers), LN-66, SPS-10F, SPS-43A, 6x Mk 91 radars; + 63mm Kevlar protection, 3 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM (Mk 29 launchers) (24 RIM-7), 3 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, SPS-73, SPS-49(v)1, SPS-64(v)9, SPS-67(v)1, 6x Mk 95, 3x Mk 90, Mk 23 TAS radars, SLQ-25A torpedo decoy, ACDS CCS; displacement was 81600/93300-93900t

2/1988, Nimitz: - SPS-48 radar; + SPS-48C radar, 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RLs

3/1989, Dwight D. Eisenhower: + 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RLs

(9/1990-4/1993), Carl Vinson: - SPS-49(v)1 radar, SLQ-29A(v)2 ECM suite; + 10 x 1 - 12.7/90, SPS-49(v)5 radar, SLQ-32(v)4 ECM suite, 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RLs

8/1994, Nimitz: - SPS-48C, SPS-49(v)1 radars, SLQ-29 ECM suite; + 4 x 1 - 12.7/90, SPS-48E, SPS-49A(v)1 radars, SLQ-32(v)4 ECM suite, JTIDS, JDISS CCS

1996, Carl Vinson: - SPN-42A radar; 2 x 3 - 324 TT; + SPN-44 radar, JSIPS-N CCS; displacement was 74042(light)/94982t

(10/1995-1/1997), Dwight D. Eisenhower: - SPS-48, SPN-42A radars, SLQ-29 ECM suite; + 4 x 1 - 12.7/90, SPS-48E, SPN-44 radars, SLQ-32(v)4 ECM suite, ACDS CCS; displacement was 74352(light)/95359t

(5/1998-3/2001), Nimitz: - 1 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM, 3 x 6 - 20/76, SPS-49(v)5, SPN-42A, 2x Mk 95, 3x Mk 90 radars, ACDS CCS; + 2 x 21 RAM SAM (42 RIM-116A), SPS-49A(v)1, SPN-44 radars, CEC USG-2, JSIPS-N, ICDS CCS; displacement was 78280(light)/101196t

12/2002, Nimitz: - Mk 23 TAS, SPS-64(v)9, SPN-43B radars; + SPQ-9B, SPS-73(v)12/17, SPN-43C, 2x SPN-46 radars, SLQ-20B ECM signal processor, SLX-1 torpedo-protection system

(5/2001-11/2004), Dwight D. Eisenhower: - 1 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM, 3 x 6 - 20/76, SPS-49(v)5, 2x Mk 95, 3x Mk 90, Mk 23 TAS, SPS-64(v)9, SPN-43B radars, ACDS CCS; + 2 x 21 RAM SAM (42 RIM-116A), SPS-49A(v)1, SPQ-9B, SPS-73(v)12/17, SPN-43C, 2x SPN-46 radars, SLQ-20B ECM signal processor, SLX-1 torpedo-protection system, CEC USG-2, ICDS, JSIPS-N CCS; displacement was 78793(light)/101713t

2008, Nimitz; 2009, Dwight D. Eisenhower: - 2 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM; + 2 x 8 ESSM SAM (16 RIM-162), SSDS Mk 2 Mod.1, ADMACS, DCGSN CCS

(11/2005-7/2009), Carl Vinson: - 3 x 8 Sea Sparrow SAM, 2 x 6 - 20/76, SPS-49(v)5, 2x Mk 95, 2x Mk 90, Mk 23 TAS, SPS-64(v)9, SPN-43B radars, ACDS CCS; + 2 x 8 ESSM SAM (16 RIM-162), 2 x 21 RAM SAM (42 RIM-116A), SPS-49A(v)1, SPQ-9B, SPS-73(v)12/17, SPN-43C, 2x SPN-46 radars, SLQ-20B ECM signal processor, SLX-1 torpedo-protection system, CEC USG-2, ICDS, SSDS Mk 2 Mod.1 CCS; displacement was 78172(light)/101089t

Naval service

No significant events.