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The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) Aircraft carrier

March 25, 2009

USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is a supercarrier in the United States Navy, the lead ship of its class.

She is one of the largest warships in the world. She was laid down, launched and commissioned as CVAN-68, but was redesignated CVN-68 (nuclear-powered multimission aircraft carrier) on 30 June 1975 as part of the fleet realignment of that year.

The keel of Nimitz was laid down 22 June 1968 by Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, and she was commissioned 3 May 1975 by President Gerald Ford. The ship was named for Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, who commanded the Pacific fleet in World War II. Captain Michael Manazir assumed command of the Nimitz on 16 March 2007. The documentary series Carrier focuses on the life of Nimitz and the crew members that served on it during a six month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.

General Characteristics:

Keel Laid: June 22, 1968
Launched: May 13, 1972
Commissioned: May 3, 1975
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.
Propulsion system: two nuclear reactors
Main Engines: four
Propellers: four
Blades on each Propeller: five
Aircraft elevators: four
Catapults: four
Arresting gear cables: four
Lengths, overall: 1.092 feet (332.85 meters)
Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76.8 meters)
Area of flight deck: about 4.5 acres (18211.5 m2)
Beam: 134 feet (40.84 meters)
Draft: 37.7 feet (11.3 meters)
Displacement: approx. 97,000 tons full load
Speed: 30+ knots
Planes: approx. 85
Crew: Ship: 3,200 ; Air Wing: 2,480

Notes of Interest:

- NIMITZ reaches over 18 stories high from to keel to the top of the mast
- Eight steam turbine generators each produce 8,000 kilowatts of electrical power, enough to serve a small city
- NIMITZ’ Food Services Department provides 18000 - 20000 meals a day
- NIMITZ can stock at least 90 days of refrigerated and dry storage goods
- NIMITZ’ two barber shops trim over 1,500 heads each week
- The Post Office processes more than one million pounds of mail each year
- The ship has a fully equipped dental facility, staffed by five dentists
- The Medical Department is manned by six doctors including a surgeon, who provide everything from surgery to hydro-therapy. The ship also features an 80 - bed hospital ward.
- Four destilling units enable NIMITZ engineers to make over 400,000 gallons of fresh water a day, for use by the propulsion plants, catapults and crew.

The USS Nimitz was first deployed to the Mediterranean in 1976 in company with the nuclear powered cruisers USS South Carolina and USS California. It was the first time in ten years that the United States had deployed nuclear-powered ships to the Mediterranean. The cruise was uneventful, and the carrier returned to Norfolk, Virginia in February 1977.

: PACIFIC OCEAN - USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and USS John C.

: PACIFIC OCEAN - USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and USS John C.

: A tour of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Aircraft Carrier through the US Embassy, while it was docked in Singapore.

: aircraft carrier uss nimitz, SAN DIEGO

: f18 just shot off the uss nimitz catapult

: hanger bay of the uss nimitz cvn 68

: two F 18 Hornet fighters intercept B 52 Stratofortress rigging maneuver USS Nimitz Guam May 2008

: super hornet launches off uss nimitz

: USS Nimitz having a port call in Hong Kong, Apr 2008.

: uss nimitz cvn 68

: The view from Vulture's Row aboard the carrier USS Nimitz, transiting the San Diego harbor.

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