USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is a US nuclear powered aircraft carrier. The keel for this unit was laid in 1968, the launch took place in May 1972, and the commissioning to the US Navy took place in 1975. The total length of the ship is 332.8 meters, the overall width is 76.8 meters, and the full displacement is about 92,000 tons. The maximum speed does not exceed 32-33 knots. The on-board armament currently includes: two Sea Sparrow missile launchers, two RIM-116 launchers and two 20 mm Vulcan Phalanx CIWS sets. The aircraft carrier can take on board up to 90 aircraft of such types as, for example: F / A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18 Growler, E-2A Hawkeye or Sikorsky MH / SH-60.
USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is the lead ship of the aircraft carrier class of the same name. The ships of this type - until the introduction of the Gerald Ford class units - were the largest ships in history. They were also the first class of nuclear-powered carriers in the history of the US Navy. From the outset, they were planned as the backbone of the US Navy strike force, and were expected to work closely with other shielding ships, such as destroyers, frigates, and submarines. They are almost a symbol of the dominance of the US Navy in the seas and world assessments. The leading vessel of this class is the USS Nimitz (CVN-68), which was built at the Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. The ship did not manage to take part in the Vietnam War (1964 / 1965-1975), and the first major operation in which she took part was the unsuccessful operation Orli Szpon in 1980. A year later (1981), two F-14 Tomcats took off from the aircraft carrier, which shot down two Libyan Su-22s during a skirmish over the Gulf of Great Sirte. In 1985, the aircraft carrier operated in the Lebanon region. USS Nimitz also took an active part in the First Gulf War (1990-1991) and the Second Gulf War in 2003. USS Nimitz remains in active service, but it is expected to be withdrawn from the line around 2022.