The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz Aircraft Carriers: Now on the Brink?
Story by Harrison Kass • Tuesday
Aircraft Carrier
investment in the Ford-class carriers, the Nimitz-class, once the jewel of the US Navy, is clearly trending toward the scrapyard. Yet the workhorse Nimitz is still a capable warship – perhaps beyond the technological or fiscal capacity of any other nation. All ten Nimitz carriers are still in service and still relevant. She is still relevant today, thanks to what were – for her time – advanced technological capabilities.
Let’s consider what makes these aircraft carriers unique.
Size
When these carriers first debuted, she was the biggest warship ever built; the Nimitz displaces over 100,000 tons; she is longer than three football fields – 317 meters, with a 40.8 meter beam, to be exact. Just the propeller, of which the Nimitz has four, has a 25-foot diameter and weighs over 30 tons. The boat is a behemoth, housing over 5,000 sailors – the Nimitz is, without exaggeration, a floating township.
Durability
According to the US Navy, the Nimitz can withstand 300 percent more damage than the World War II-era Essex-class carrier. In part, the Nimitz’s durability is the result of the airplane hangars being divided into three distinct fire bays; each bay has thick steel doors that were designed to prevent fires from spreading.
Nuclear Power
The Nimitz has two A4W nuclear reactors – each housed in separate compartments. The nuclear reactors heat water, which generates steam. The steam is then passed through the ship’s four turbines, which spins the ship’s four propeller shafts. The result is a ship that can travel at speeds beyond 30 knots – and stay at sea for over 20 years without the need to refuel.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-u-s-navy-s-nimitz-aircraft-carriers-now-on-the-brink/ar-AA15eGgQ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=32ca2b0616584e7ca9ef317905404600
