U.S. Holds Back Decommissioning of USS Nimitz Aircraft Carrier, Deploys It to Caribbean

The U.S. Navy has delayed the immediate decommissioning of the airc and sent it on a final deployment to waters around Latin America as it sails toward its retirement port in Virginia.

The carrier departed its longtime homeport at Naval Base Kitsap in Bremerton, Washington, over the weekend and began its final voyage toward Naval Station Norfolk. During the journey, the ship will operate in the area of responsibility of U.S. Southern Command, according to a report by Stars & Stripes.

The exact locations or duration of the deployment have not been disclosed. Because the aircraft carrier is too large to pass through the Panama Canal, it will travel around the southern tip of South America before heading north to Virginia. The route is expected to include port visits in several partner nations along the way.

The deployment comes as U.S. naval forces adjust global carrier positioning. Several carriers previously operating in the Caribbean were recently redirected to the Middle East as Washington increased its military presence during the ongoing conflict with Iran. As of March 9, 2026, two U.S. carrier strike groups - USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) - are operating in the region while a third carrier - USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) - is en route.

The Nimitz will become the first U.S. aircraft carrier operating in the Southern Command region since the departure of the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group earlier this year.

Commissioned in 1975, the Nimitz has served for nearly five decades and participated in operations across multiple regions, including the Gulf of Sidra, Lebanon, the western Pacific, and missions linked to the Global War on Terror. The carrier has also deployed to the Middle East during periods of tension with Iran and operated in the South China Sea during its previous deployment.

The ship’s transfer to Norfolk is expected to precede its decommissioning process, which will begin after it arrives on the U.S. East Coast.