US Navy’s USS Theodore Roosevelt Supercarrier Returning To San Diego

The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) departs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2026, July 7, 2026.

(U.S. Navy photograph by Mass Communications Specialist First Class Luke McCall)

In the coming days, the United States Navy will person 1 less nuclear-powered craft bearer operating successful the Pacific Ocean arsenic the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is group to return to its homeport successful San Diego successful the coming days. The U.S. Navy’s 4th Nimitz-class supercarrier had previously departed Naval Air Station North Island connected June 15 to lead the Rim of the Pacific 2026 biennial world exercises adjacent Hawaii, which began successful precocious June and concluded past week.

The craft bearer was 1 of much than 30 aboveground combatants to return part, on pinch 5 submarines and astir 200 aircraft.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, CVN-71 will undergo a little turnaround earlier a afloat deployment that is now expected to statesman successful September.

U.S. Carriers Are Operating In The Western Pacific And Middle East

Currently, the United States Navy has conscionable 1 craft bearer operating successful the Western Pacific, the forward-deployed USS George Washington (CVN-73). The Yokosuka, Japan-based supercarrier began its existent deployment connected May 10, 2026.

Last Thursday, CVN-73 became conscionable the 4th U.S. Navy craft bearer to make a port telephone successful Vietnam since 2018. The USS George Washington is now expected to depart the larboard of Da Nang connected Monday and resume its 2026 patrol, which could past done the extremity of the year. The craft bearer had made a larboard sojourn to U.S. Naval Base Guam successful the mediate of June, and past spent respective weeks operating successful the Philippine Sea. During that time, it participated successful the Valiant Shield associated exercises pinch the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. It transited the Luzon Strait into the South China Sea past week, becoming the first U.S. Navy bearer to operate successful the waters claimed by China since January.

There are now 2 Nimitz-class supercarriers deployed to the Middle East, including the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). Both flattops person remained successful the U.S. 5th Fleet and U.S. Central Command’s area of work to support combat operations against Iran.

However, CVN-72 has now been deployed for much than 254 days arsenic of Sunday, and has been astatine oversea for 233 days without a larboard call, since it made a one-day sojourn to Naval Base Guam connected 12, 2025. If the warship remains astatine oversea for 3 much months it will adjacent successful connected the recently group grounds for longest deployment of 326 days, group by USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which was group successful May.

That has led to speculation that the USS Theodore Roosevelt will caput to the Middle East if a last bid woody can’t beryllium reached, allowing the USS Abraham Lincoln to return home. It would beryllium safe to propose that it would beryllium acquainted waters for the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Familiar Waters For The ‘Big Stick’

The 4th Nimitz-class supercarrier was commissioned 40 years agone this coming October. The first of the United States Navy’s supercarriers to beryllium assembled utilizing modular construction, the USS Theodore Roosevelt has been deployed respective times to the Middle East successful its decades-long career, opening pinch Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm successful 1991.

Known by the nickname “Big Stick,” the flattop took portion successful the attacks against al-Qaeda successful Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom pursuing the September 11, 2001, violent attacks connected New York City and the Pentagon.

During the Global War connected Terror, the USS Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. Navy craft bearer since the Korean War to embark a Naval Reserve squadron – Strike Fighter Squadron 201 from Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas.

CVN-71 later took portion successful Operation Iraqi Freedom successful 2005-2006, and was again deployed to the Middle East successful September 2008. In its 2015 deployment, successful which the warship circumnavigated the globe, the carrier’s aerial helping conducted much than 1,800 sorties against Islamic State militants successful Iraq and Syria arsenic portion of Operation Inherent Resolve, totaling 10,618 formation hours and complete 1 cardinal pounds of ordnance employed done 1,085 guided munitions.

In July 2021, the USS Theodore Roosevelt underwent a modernization that allowed the bearer to embark the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighter.

CVN-71’s past deployment to the Middle East was successful the summertime of 2024, and the warship returned to larboard aft 278 days.