Nimitz class
Nimitz class is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier operated by United States Navy, powered by 2 A4W of about 550 MWt each. Operating.
Ten ships, being succeeded by the Ford class.
| Reactor | A4W |
|---|---|
| Reactors per vessel | 2 |
| Thermal output | 550MWt each |
| Fuel enrichment | ~93% U-235HEU |
| Refuelling | One mid-life refuelling across a 50-year service life |
| Category | aircraft carrier |
|---|---|
| Role | CVN |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Country | United States |
| Vessels in class | not stated |
| In service from | 1975 |
| Status | Operating |
Other aircraft carriers
| Class | Enrichment | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Charles de Gaulle | LEU | Operating |
| Enterprise (CVN-65) | HEU | Retired |
| Gerald R. Ford class | HEU | Operating |
Nimitz class in context
It is one of 4 aircraft carrier programs on record, 3 of them operating and 1 retired, and one of 11 naval reactor programs from the same country.
Each of its reactors is rated about 550 MWt; across the 3 aircraft carrier programs with a stated rating the median is 550 MWt, and this one ranks 2nd.
With 2 reactors per vessel, the combined thermal rating is about 1,100 MWt.
Its fuel is recorded as HEU, the same as 2 of the other 3 aircraft carrier programs with a stated enrichment class.
It entered service in 1975, 51 years ago; the aircraft carrier programs on record entered service between 1961 and 2017, and this one is the 2nd earliest of 4.
| Measure | Nimitz class | Median of aircraft carrier programs | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal power per reactor (MWt) | 550 | 550 | 2 of 3 |
| Entered service | 1975 | 9876001 | 2 of 4 (earliest first) |
Worked out from the entries on this site only, so a figure compares Nimitz class with what is recorded here, not with everything that exists. An entry with no value for a measure is left out of that measure's ranking and median.
Sources
- World Nuclear Association, Nuclear-Powered Ships · retrieved 2026-09-07
How these sources are used, including the corrections applied on top of them and what is deliberately left blank · download the underlying data