Nimitz class aircraft carrier

The ***Nimitz* class aircraft carrier** is a class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, or supercarriers, serving as the backbone of the surface fleets of the United States Navy. Like all aircraft carriers before them, the *Nimitz* class carriers are built to project American air power anywhere around the globe, and present the might of the U.S. Navy, and its aviators. But the *Nimitz* and her sisters in active service, along with their sisters to be commissioned in the future, are a new generation of nuclear-powered supercarriers, while the USS *Enterprise* (CVN-65), the only ship of her own class, serves as the first nuclear-powered carrier in the U.S. and the rest of the world. There are 4 of these ships in active service, USS *Nimitz* (CVN-68), USS *Dwight D. Eisenhower* (CVN-69), USS *Carl Vinson* (CVN-70), and USS *Theodore Roosevelt* (CVN-71), and 2 others being worked on as of 1987, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS George Washington (CVN-73). The Soviet Union's Naher own classvy is working on their own supercarrier to challenge the might of the U.S. Navy and its carriers, the *Leonid Brezhnev*, the lead ship of the *Admiral Kuznetsov* class aircraft carriers, but it's still under construction as of the events of Army Wars: Red Tide, and it's currently unknown if it would see any action in the war.

* **Appears in:** TBA
* **Used by:** United States Navy
* **Weapons:** 16-24 x RIM-7 Sea Sparrow or NATO Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft and anti-missile launchers, 3 or 4 x Phalanx CIWS
* **Aircraft carried:** 85-90 jet planes and helicopters

## About

The 1,092 feet (333 meter) long Nimitz class aircraft carrier was designed by the U.S. Navy during the 1960's, when America was still fighting in the Vietnam War. They weight about 97,000 tons, and their companies can number up to 3,200 sailors. They were ordered to supplement the *Forrestal* class, *Kitty Hawk* class, and *Enterprise* class of aircraft carriers, and maintain the strength and capability of the United States Navy. The *Nimitz* class ships 2 Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors, which take up less space than the 8 reactors on board the *Enterprise*. The first of these ships, USS Nimitz, was laid down at Newport News Shipboarding, in Newport News, Virginia, on June 22nd, 1968. She was then launched on May 13th, 1972, and commissioned on May 3rd, 1975. She used to have her homeport at Naval Station Norfolk until 1987 (when Army Wars: Red Tide will take place in), then she was relocated to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. The other ships, the *Dwight D. Eisenhower*, *Carl Vinson*, and *Theodore Roosevelt* were built and commissioned in different naval yards during the late-1970's and early-1980's. Two other Nimitz class vessels are still under construction, as of 1987, the *Abraham Lincoln* and *George Washington*. The construction of each ship costed around $4.5 billion. Each ship can go anywhere around the world without the need to refuel for about 20 years.

### Armament and protection

In addition to the aircraft they carry on board, the Nimitz's carry defensive equipment for use against missiles and hostile aircraft. These consist either 3 or 4 NATO RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile launchers designed to defend carriers from enemy aircraft and ant-ship missiles as well as 3 or 4 20mm Phalanx CIWS (Close-In-Weapon-System) missile defense cannon mounts.

### Carrier Air Wing

The carriers can accommodate a maximum of 85-90 aircraft of different types, such as fighter jets like the F-14 Tomcat, F-4 Phantom II, and F/A-18A/C Hornet, ground attack aircraft like the A-6E Intruder, A-7 Corsair II, and F/A-18B/D Hornet, maritime patrol and ASW aircraft like the S-3 Viking, early warning aircraft like the E-2 Hawkeye, electronic warfare jet planes like EA-6 Prowler, and helicopters like the SH-60 Seahawk and the aging SH-3 Sea King.

A typical air wing can include 12-14 strike fighters; two squadrons of 10-12 of them, with one of these being provided by the United States Marine Corps (VMFA) also as strike fighters, 4-6 EA-6 Prowlers for electronic warfare, 4-6 E-2 Hawkeyes for airborne early warning (AEW), C-2 Greyhounds used for logistics, and a Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron of 6-8 SH-60 Seahawks and SH-3 Sea Kings. 4 steam catapults are used to launch the jets, while 4 arrestor wires are used for recovery and to slow them down when landing on the carriers.

### Carrier Strike Group

Whenever a *Nimitz* class carrier deploys, it takes a Strike Group with it, made up of several other warships and supply vessels which allow the operation to carry out. The defensive armament of the *Nimitz* class is only for short-range defense, used as a last line of defense against enemy aircraft, like jets and helicopters, and missiles. The other vessels in a Carrier Strike Group provide additional capabilities, such as long-range Tomahawk missiles or the Aegis Combat System, which were new during the Cold War. A typical Strike Group may include 1 aircraft carrier and up to 6 surface combatants, including frigates, guided missile cruisers, and guided missile destroyers (used primarily for anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare); 1 or 2 attack submarines are used for seeking out and destroying enemy surface warships and submarines; and an ammunition, oiler, and supply ship to provide logistical support. Sometimes, one of the U.S. Navy's last surviving battleships, the *Iowa* class, from World War II can accompany a *Nimitz* class carrier too.

## World War III

The *Nimitz* class supercarriers will answer the United States of America's call into frontline action, whenever the Soviets and their Warsaw Pact allies make their final decision to declare war on America and its NATO allies. The *Abraham Lincoln* and the *George Washington* are still in progress of construction. Will either ship be ready to be commissioned and see frontline action in time? Will any of the Nimitz class carriers survive the Third World War? It is also unknown when the carriers will make their first appearance in the *Army Wars* series.

## Trivia

* In the real-world, there are 10 *Nimitz* class aircraft carriers currently serving the U.S. Navy, which includes the completed *Abraham Lincoln* and *George Washington*, the *John C. Stennis* (CVN-74), *Harry S. Truman* (CVN-75), *Ronald Reagan* (CVN-76), and the last to be commissioned being the *George H.W. Bush* (CVN-77) in 2009.
* There are also fictional *Nimitz* class aircraft carriers that appeared in numerous of films, T.V. shows, video games, and other books. For example, the USS *Flagg* (CVN-99) that appeared in the *G.I. Joe* franchise, and USS *Titan*, which appeared to be under attack and sinking by Chinese forces, in the 2013 video game, *Battlefield 4*. It is currently unknown if *Army Wars* will have fictional carriers and other warships in the series.