Group : Aircraft Carriers
Status : Active
Origin : United States of America
Contractor : Northrop Grumman
Initial Operational Capability (IOC) : 1975
Total Production : 10
Unitary Cost : USD $6.2 billion

The CVN 68 Nimitz class aircraft carriers have been designed to provide an independent forward presence and conventional deterrent in peacetime, the cornerstone of joint/allied forces expeditionary maritime forces in time of crisis, support for aircraft attacks on enemies, protect friendly forces, and engage in sustained independent operations in war. The Nimitz-class carriers are the largest warships in the world and each one of them can accommodate up to 85 aircraft. They have been deployed to support major military conflicts occurred from 1975 to the present day. They played an important role during the Gulf War in 1991, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan 2001), and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq 2003).

The CVN 77 George H. W. Bush will be tenth and last Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. The Bush aircraft carrier will incorporate many new design features over current Nimitz carriers. Controls on the bridge and propulsion plant will be automated, the main mast will be made of composites, enhanced computing architecture, and mission planning capability will be some of the advanced features of the last Nimitz-class carrier. The George H. W. Bush's keel was laid down in 2003. The christening ceremony for the George H. W. Bush aircraft carrier was held at Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyards, Newport News, Virginia, October 7, 2006. The ship will be delivered to the US Navy in 2008.

On 16 November 2006 the US Navy awarded Northrop Grumman a contract with a potential value of $558 million for the refueling and complex overhaul of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). The ship will arrive at Newport News shipyard in 2009 where more than 1,300 employees will take care of the refueling work which is implemented only once during the 50-year lifespan of Nimitz-class carriers.