Tag Archives: USS Nimitz

Negative, Dragones, the pattern is full

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Not a lot of times you see an Ecuadorian fighter buzzing a CVN with a Rhino of Strike Fighter Squadron 137 (VFA-137) “Kestrels” as a wingman.

You know that Hornet is pushing stall speed to get this photo! Credit: Navy Lt. William Shortal, VIRIN: 260408-N-NO803-9035

Official caption: “Blue on Blue” An Ecuadorian Air Force Embraer A-29 [EMB 314] Super Tucano flies alongside a U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet above the USS Nimitz during a bilateral maritime engagement in the Pacific Ocean, April 8, 2026. The USS Nimitz is deployed as part of Southern Seas, an exercise designed to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries in the region through joint, multinational, and interagency exchanges and cooperation.

If you are interested, it looks like the Sidewinder carrying 18E above is the Falcon 12 CO bird 301, BuNo 168866, carrying the NA tail code of CVW-17. It is a Block III circa 2013 bird, construction number E243, and used to belong to VFA-97 until the latter went Lightning.

The Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana’s 2311th Squadron (La Escuadrilla de Combate 2311 “Dragones”) operates all 17 of the country’s Tucanos, purchased in 2009 to replace Ecuador’s elderly fleet of Vietnam-era Cessna A-37 Dragonflies, and is the country’s only combat aircraft type.

War Costs Big Dollars

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Check out these interesting War Department awards posted late Friday, emphasis mine, including big numbers for AI, the new AEHF satcom system, a half-billion worth of upgrades to EA-18G Growlers (namely to the Beowulf system), committing to the E-7A, buying more SM-3s, and, ironically, allocating millions to decommisson the 51-year-old Nimitz— which just deployed on a final final (we promise this is the last one) mission.

The granddaddy carrier’s 12,400-mile ’round the cape redeployment from Bremerton to Norfolk will be extended by an on-the-way SOUTHCOM tasking with her taking part in South Seas 2026, visiting several partner countries along the way, and, well, you know, there is this whole Venezuela and now Cuba thing, sooooo…don’t be surprised if things get kinetic or are at least billed as “possibly becoming kinetic” to influence politics in the region.

U.S. Sailors conduct preservation on the 68 tower of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in San Diego, March 12, 2026. Nimitz is pierside at Naval Air Station North Island for a scheduled port visit while operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations while executing a scheduled homeport shift to Norfolk, Virginia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gina Gallia)

Anyway, the contracts:

Anduril Industries Inc., Costa Mesa, California, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract with a cumulative total of $20,000,000,000 to consolidate current and future commercial solutions—including the proprietary, open-architecture, AI-enabled Lattice suite, integrated hardware, data, computer infrastructure, and technical support services—into a unified, mission-ready capability supporting the Army’s evolving operational and business needs. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 12, 2036. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W9128Z-26-D-A001).

Raytheon Co., Marlboro, Massachusetts, has been awarded a ceiling $2,011,063,181 modification (P00011) to a previously awarded contract FA8735-21-D-0001 for Advanced Extremely High Frequency Terminal. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $2,971,063,181 from $960,000,000. Work will be performed at Marlboro, Massachusetts, and Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 9, 2031. There are no funds being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Strategic Communications Division, Bedford, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity.

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a not-to-exceed $489,306,966 cost, undefinitized order (N0001926F1055) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0006). This order is for the procurement of non-recurring engineering and associated test assets, to include four Beowulf A-Kits, four Gunbay Pallet A-Kits, 12 Beowulf B-Kits, 15 sensor control unit B-Kits, and nine power control unit B-Kits, as well as support equipment in support of the design, development, and integration of the AN/ALQ-264(V) Beowulf upgrade to the existing EA-18G platform. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (61%); St. Louis, Missouri (28%); and Bethpage, New York (11%), and is expected to be completed in February 2030. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $33,988,353 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded an option exercise of $95,703,960 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-25-C-2127) for advance planning and long-lead-time material procurement to prepare and make ready for the accomplishment of the inactivation and defueling of USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2027. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $32,695,077 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1), (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

The Boeing Co., St. Louis Missouri, is awarded a $60,103,735 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00006) to an order (N0001924F0259) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0006). This modification adds scope for the procurement of developmental and operational test support, developmental and operational test aircraft installation and capability validation activities, including avionics and airframe material, to support the Growler Block II Phase I upgrade, known as the Next Generation Electronic Attack Unit. Additionally, this modification adds non-reoccurring engineering, consisting of anti-tamper requirements, functional and physical configuration audits, systems engineering, software development and integration, human engineering, test and evaluation requirements, developmental and operational ground and flight testing, product support requirements, and additional software requirement changes. Work will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland (16.3%); Bethpage, New York (37.9%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (27.4%); and St. Louis, Missouri (18.4%), and is expected to be completed in February 2029. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $13,082,629 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

These came on Thursday:

The Boeing Co. Defense, Tukwila, Washington, has been awarded a $2,335,411,756 option exercise modification (P00045) to a previously awarded contract FA8730-23-C-0025 for E-7A Rapid Prototype Airborne Mission Segment. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $4,907,391,116 from $4,907,391,116. Work will be performed at Seattle, Washington (primary); Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Huntsville, Alabama; and Heath, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by August 10, 2032. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $31,000,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity.

Raytheon, Tucson, Arizona is being awarded a noncompetitive fixed-price-incentive-fee modification (HQ0851-24-C-0001), definitizing two previously announced undefinitized contract actions (P00008 and P00014) for Standard Missile (SM-3) Block IB production.  The value of this contract modification is $266,912,456, increasing the previously announced value of $1,099,000,000 to a total value of $1,365,912,456. The total definitized value of this award increases the total existing contract value from $1,948,713,505 by $1,365,912,456 to $3,314,625,961. Under this modification, the contractor will procure and deliver an additional quantity of 23 SM-3 Block IB All-Up Rounds (AURs) for a total of 78 SM-3 Block IB AURs. This contract includes one-time costs to restart the SM-3 IB production line. The work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona; and Huntsville, Alabama, with an expected completion date of May 2030. Fiscal 2024 and 2025 procurement funds are being used to fully fund this effort upon award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

The Trip Trey, now 30 Years Gone

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Formed at Cherry Point on 1 August 1943 as Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 333 (VMSB-333), the logically named “Trip Trey” began their career flying SBD Dauntless dive-bombers from Midway on anti-shipping patrols.

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless Dive Bomber of VMSB-333 over Wake Island.

The original “Trip Trey” crest, circa 1943. From the Claude A. Larkin Collection (COLL/791) at the Archives Branch, Marine Corps History Division

Adding an “F” designation to their name after transitioning to F4U Corsairs in late 1944, VMBF-333 was deactivated just two months after VJ-Day.

Reformed during the Korean War as Marine Attack Squadron 333 (VMA-333), they transited quickly through the F6F Hellcat to the A-1 Skyraider and entered the jet age in 1957 with FJ-3 Fury jet fighters, again adding the “F” to their title to become VMF-333, after which adding the triple shamrock to their planes and going by the “Fighting Shamrocks” as well as the more commonly applied “Trip Trey.”

Next came the F-8 Crusader– with which they ran hot pad alerts at GTMO during the Cuban Missile Crisis– and then the F-4 Phantom in 1966.

The Shamrocks would deploy aboard USS America (CVA-66) in 1972, picking up the only Marine MiG kill of the Vietnam War.

Remaining part of CVW-8 through most of the 1970s and carrying “AJ” tail flashes, they would ship out with the brand-new supercarrier USS Nimitz in 1976 on a Med Cruise.

Four U.S. Marine Corps McDonnell F-4J Phantom II (BuNo 153848, 155523, 155525, 155511) from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA-333 “Shamrocks” in flight. VMFA-333 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) for a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea from 7 July 1976 to 7 February 1977. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.253.7315.009 by PH2c Klaus Homedale, U.S. Navy

An air-to-air silhouetted view of a Marine Strike Fighter Squadron 333 (VMFA-333) F-4 Phantom II aircraft, 9/1/1985. At this time the Shamrocks were one of the few active duty Phantom operators in the U.S. military. U.S. Navy photo DNSC9011796 by LCDR David Baranak, via NARA (330-CFD-DN-SC-90-11796).

The last regular Marine squadron to operate the big smoky Phantom, they transitioned to F-18A Hornets in October 1987, which they would fly during Desert Storm just three years later, delivering over 2 million pounds of ordnance (typically 2,000-pounds at a time) against Iraqi forces across a staggering 700 combat sorties.

VMFA-333, Operation Desert Storm, 1991 USMC photo

“Over the Oil Fields,” by Col H. Avery Chenoweth, USMCR. “Towards the war’s end, the Bahrain-based Shamrocks of VMFA-333 were able to survey damage caused by their bombing runs. Previously, the ground fire had caused the F/A-18’s to pull out rapidly from their dive-bombing runs, no chance for visual confirmation.” Photo via the National Museum of The Marine Corps.

Returning from the sandbox, the “Fighting Shamrocks” were deactivated on 31 March 1992 during the post-Cold War drawdown.

11 Months Underway

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Ships assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group sail in formation with Indian navy ships during a cooperative deployment in the Indian Ocean, July 20, 2020. Photo By: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Donald R. White, Jr. VIRIN: 200720-N-MY642-0207M

From DOD:

The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is returning after operations in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility. It was the first carrier strike group to deploy under COVID-19 protocols. By the time the carrier strike group reaches home, the sailors and Marines aboard will have been gone for 321 days.

The Nimitz, the cruiser USS Princeton, and the destroyers USS Sterett and USS Ralph Johnson made up the group. 

Overall, the carrier strike group steamed more than 87,300 nautical miles during its deployment. The carrier launched 10,185 sorties totaling 23,410 flight hours logged.

I’m not sure the value of wearing out ships and crew on year-long deployments when there are no major conflicts underway, but you damned sure don’t see other fleets able/willing to pull off this type of crap, which is a statement of deterrence all its own, I suppose. 

Of note, Nimitz is our oldest active warship in fleet service– and the oldest commissioned aircraft carrier in the world–  slated to celebrate the 46th anniversary of her commissioning in May. Princeton is no spring chicken either, as the early Tico left Pascagoula for the fleet in 1989.

76 years ago today: The end of the wagon

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Now that’s a flattop! An image taken from a departing biplane, Aug 03, 1923 of the U.S. Navy’s first aircraft carrier, the converted collier USS Langley. NARA Photo 520639

On this day in February 1942, the U.S. Navy’s first aircraft carrier USS Langley, then operating as a seaplane carrier (AV-3). was attacked by 16 Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” twin-engine bombers of the Japanese 21st and 23rd Naval Air Flotillas south of Tjilatjap, Java, and was so badly damaged by at least five bombs that she had to be scuttled by her escorts.

The “covered wagon” which operated as the country’s only flattop from 21 April 1920 until USS Lexington was commissioned on 14 December 1927, was the cradle of U.S. Naval aviation. Without her, there would have been no almost 100-years of U.S. carrier dominance.

Via NNAM.1982.071.001 by aivation artist Robert Grant Smith, 1980.

Via NNAM.1982.071.001 by aviation artist Robert Grant Smith, 1980.

The painting is the artist’s rendering of the Navy’s first aircraft carrier, the USS LANGLEY (CV-1), conducting flight operations as a ghost ship in the company with one of the Navy’s most modern aircraft carriers, the USS NIMITZ (CVN-68). The painting celebrates the commissioning of the Nimitz 50 years after the first squadron operation off the Langley in 1925. The Nimitz is accompanied by a squadron of A-4M Skyhawks while the Langley is accompanied by a squadron of F6C -2 Curtiss Hawks

375,000 tons of flattops, By the numbers

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CVs at Piers 11 and 12. 18 October 1985

Image via Chris Powell shared Research Library, USS Midway Museum’s photo

18 October 1985: This congregation of carriers moored in numerical order from front to back at Piers 11 and 12 at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, are the nuclear-powered aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and USS Nimitz (CVN-68) (both Nimitz-class), and the conventionally-powered USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and the Kitty Hawk-class USS America (CV-66).

While Ike and Nimitz are still on active duty and will be for some time, JFK has been laid up since 2007 and is currently berthed at the NAVSEA Inactive Ships On-site Maintenance facility in Philadelphia on possible museum hold.

America, on the other hand, was decommed in 1996 as a cost saving measure as she was up for refit and is the largest warship and only supercarrier ever to be sunk, scuttled in very deep water after live-fire testing 14 May 2005.

Atlantic Ocean (May 14, 2005) – The decommissioned aircraft carrier, USS America (CV 66) was “laid to rest” after being sunk at sea. America was the target of a series of tests designed to test new defense and damage control systems for the CVN-21 program. The conventionally-powered carrier, left active service in 1996. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg (RELEASED)

Atlantic Ocean (May 14, 2005) – The decommissioned aircraft carrier, USS America (CV 66) was “laid to rest” after being sunk at sea. America was the target of a series of tests designed to test new defense and damage control systems for the CVN-21 program. The conventionally-powered carrier, left active service in 1996. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg (RELEASED)