U.S. Media Article: Where Are the 11 Active Aircraft Carriers of the United States? (Part 2)

Reference News Network reported on April 11 An article titled "Where Are America's Aircraft Carriers Now?" was published on the website of the National Interest bimonthly on April 1, authored by Peter Suciu. The full text is translated as follows:

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)

Current Status: In Port (San Diego, California)

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) returned to its home port in San Diego, California, on August 14 of last year. The ship's most recent deployment lasted 269 days, setting a record for the vessel. Currently, USS Carl Vinson is back in port for maintenance and is not expected to resume operations until at least next spring. The U.S. Navy has not announced its next deployment date.

USS Carl Vinson is the third ship of the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, named after the late Democratic Congressman Carl Vinson of Georgia.

Launched in 1980 and commissioned in 1982, the ship was the site of the at-sea burial of Osama bin Laden, who was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in 2011.

During its most recent deployment, USS Carl Vinson participated in the "2025 Pacific Steller" exercise with the French Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, followed by the "Freedom Shield" military exercise, conducting joint air operations with the Republic of Korea Air Force.

USS Carl Vinson carries Carrier Air Wing Two, which consists of nine squadrons and approximately 90 aircraft, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2 Hawkeye early warning aircraft, MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, as well as V-22 Ospreys and F-35C Lightning II stealth carrier-based fighters.

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)

Current Status: In Port (San Diego), Preparing for Deployment

Commissioned in 1986, USS Theodore Roosevelt is the flagship of the U.S. Navy's Ninth Carrier Strike Group and is currently docked at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, preparing for an upcoming deployment.

The ship has recently conducted flight training off the coast of California in preparation for a possible deployment later this spring. After completing maintenance and training, it will resume combat operations.

USS Theodore Roosevelt returned to San Diego in October 2024, concluding a nine-month deployment. The U.S. Navy has not confirmed where this aircraft carrier will head next, but given that other U.S. carriers are remaining in the Caribbean or heading to the Middle East, it is likely to operate in the Indo-Pacific region.

USS Theodore Roosevelt is the fourth ship of the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, named after the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt.

The ship was the first aircraft carrier built using large modular construction techniques, with a construction process akin to "building a model." This innovative method has since been adopted for all U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, significantly shortening their construction timelines. USS Theodore Roosevelt was launched in October 1984, officially commissioned two years later, and completed its first deployment by the end of December 1988.

The ship carries Carrier Air Wing Eleven, also equipped with approximately 90 aircraft, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2C Hawkeyes, C-2A Greyhounds, and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters.

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)

Current Status: Deployed (Arabian Sea)

The fifth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy is currently deployed in the area of responsibility of U.S. Central Command, operating in the Arabian Sea. Its air wing has been involved in combat operations, executing Operation Epic Fury against Iran. In early March, U.S. Central Command released photos of USS Lincoln to clarify rumors regarding damage from a missile attack.

USS Abraham Lincoln previously operated in the South China Sea and was ordered to the Middle East in January 2026. It is the second U.S. Navy ship named after the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and was commissioned in November 1989. Over its more than thirty years of service, USS Abraham Lincoln has conducted numerous humanitarian missions and participated in various combat operations in the Persian Gulf and Pacific regions.

USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in San Diego in December 2024, concluding its previous deployment and participating in several exercises, including Northern Edge 2025. CVN-72 was initially deployed to the Indo-Pacific region in August 2024 and was then ordered to the Middle East to relieve USS Theodore Roosevelt, completing the carrier rotation.

At the end of 2024, while serving as part of the U.S. Central Command's Fifth Fleet, USS Abraham Lincoln conducted airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen. The attack included the first combat flight mission of the F-35C Lightning II, which is the carrier-based version of the Joint Strike Fighter. U.S. Central Command stated that F-35C aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314) "conducted multiple strikes against weapons caches in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen."

USS Abraham Lincoln carries Carrier Air Wing Nine. Like USS Carl Vinson, it is equipped with approximately 90 aircraft of various types, including F-35C Lightning II fighters, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2 Hawkeyes, V-22 Ospreys, and MH-60 Seahawks. (Serial - Part Two) (Translation/ Tu Qi)