The USS John C. Stennis Nimitz-class Carrier Is Still Out of Service
The Nimitz-class carrier is expected to stay out of service for an additional fourteen months than planned.
Last month, U.S. secretary of defense Pete Hegseth directed the USS Carl Vinson to head toward the Red Sea to join the USS Harry S. Truman in the fight against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. While the United States holds the record for most aircraft carriers in service across the globe, not all of the Navy’s eleven nuclear-powered Nimitz and Gerald R. Ford-class warships remain out at sea consistently. In fact, the service typically deploys at most five aircraft carriers at one time, although this number can fluctuate based on the geopolitical climates in each theatre of operation.
The Navy’s newest and most technically advanced carrier-class is the Ford. While the lead ship has already embarked on its maiden deployment, the remaining planned ships in this class are experiencing delays in production. The delay of future Ford ships makes the proper maintenance of the existing Nimitz carriers even more important, especially as tensions in the Red Sea, the Black Sea, and the South China Sea continue to rise. USS John C. Stennis, first dry docked back in 2021, remains out of service during this critical time. The Nimitz-class carrier is expected to stay out of service for an additional fourteen months than planned. In order to sustain its mission of deterrence and power projection, the Navy must prioritize the speedy re-introduction of Stennis.
Introducing the John C. Stennis
As the Navy’s seventh Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to reach operational capacity back in the mid-1990s, USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) features all the same cutting-edge systems and capabilities as its sister ships. The Nimitz ships, unlike their Kitty Hawk, Forrestal,and Enterprise predecessors, carry just two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors. In addition to this superior power source, the Nimitz are able to carry 90 percent more aviation fuel and 50 percent more ordnance than previous classes. Stennis, named to honor the Mississippi State Senator was constructed by Newport News Shipbuilding and officially commissioned in 1995.
Like its sister ships, Stennis required a mid-life refueling overhaul. According to the service, new electronic systems, advanced propulsion systems, and other emerging technologies will be incorporated into the Stennis during this process. While budgetary constraints, labor shortages., and other issues have pushed back the reentry timeline for Stennis, the service has asserted that the wait will be well worth it.
As stated by Rear Adm. Casey J. Moton, commander, program executive officer for aircraft carriers, “The Navy-Industry team is dealing with the lingering effects of a post-COVID industrial base—one that includes a reduced or unstable capability and capacity along with challenges in workforce recruitment, retention and proficiency. However, the bottom line is that fleet operators need us to deliver these capital assets to our warfighters ready for tasking, so we are working on a daily basis with our industry partners and within the Navy to accelerate problem-solving and to speed production on the deck plates—all focused on delivering readiness. I am proud of our entire team for achieving this important production milestone towards redelivering USS John C. Stennis to the fleet.”
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
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