Three Aircraft Carriers to Change Homeports

The U.S. Navy announced Aug. 2 that three Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) will conduct homeport shifts.

San Diego, California ─ (NNS) ─ The U.S. Navy announced Aug. 2 that three Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) will conduct homeport shifts.

Pacific Ocean (July 26, 2018) The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) participates in a group sail during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise off the coast of Hawaii, July 26, 2018. Twenty-five nations, 46 ships and five submarines, and about 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 27 to Aug. 2 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security of the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2018 is the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971 -- U.S. Navy photo by MCS1 Arthurgwain L. Marquez. -
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)

USS Abraham Lincoln, currently located in Norfolk, Virginia, will rejoin the Pacific Fleet, making San Diego its homeport. Abraham Lincoln, commissioned in 1989, previously served in the Pacific Fleet from 1990-2011 before moving to Norfolk for midlife refueling.

Atlantic Ocean (May 7, 2018) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) transits the Atlantic Ocean. Abraham Lincoln is underway conducting carrier qualifications and training -- U.S. Navy photo by MCS Seaman Shane Bryan. -
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)

The other two carrier homeport shifts are tied to carrier maintenance. John C. Stennis, currently homeported in Bremerton, Washington, will change homeports to Norfolk in advance of its midlife refueling, or reactor complex overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding. John C. Stennis was commissioned in 1995; Nimitz-class carriers are built to last 50 years.

Pacific Ocean -- (May 7, 2018) USS John C. Stennis maneuvers during a formation sailing evolution. Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3 is underway conducting group sail training in preparation for its next scheduled deployment -- U.S. Navy photo by MCS3 Jake Greenberg. -
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74)

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) will conduct a homeport change to Bremerton in advance of its docking-planned incremental availability (DPIA) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.