Navy
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower arrives in Norfolk for maintenance period following 9-month deployment
Stars and Stripes
January 14, 2025
Sailors heave a mooring line of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) at Naval Station Norfolk on Jan. 8, 2025. (Evan Antonisse/U.S. Navy)
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived at Norfolk Naval Shipyard on Jan. 8 for a scheduled Planned Incremental Availability period (PIA) — maintenance, repairs and modernization — after completing a nine-month deployment.
The maintenance phase ensures the carrier’s capabilities meet future operational demands, the Navy said in a news release.
“This maintenance period is a crucial opportunity to reset and upgrade the IKE [USS Dwight D. Eisenhower] after an exceptional deployment,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas Meadors, the ship’s maintenance manager. “Our team, alongside the skilled workforce at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, will ensure that IKE is prepared to meet the Navy’s evolving mission requirements. This effort reflects a strong partnership and a shared commitment to excellence.”
Capt. Christopher Hill, commanding officer, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), observes sea and anchor operations at Norfolk Naval Shipyard on Jan. 8, 2025. (Kade Bise/U.S. Navy)
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) prepares to get underway from Naval Station Norfolk on Jan. 8, 2025. (Kade Bise/U.S. Navy)
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) is moored at Norfolk Naval Shipyard on Jan. 8, 2025. (Kade Bise/U.S. Navy)
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) transits the Elizabeth River Norfolk Naval Shipyard on Jan. 8, 2025 (Evan Antonisse/U.S. Navy)
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) transits the Elizabeth River to Norfolk Naval Shipyard on Jan. 8, 2025. (Mercy Crowe/U.S. Navy)
The USS Eisenhower and its strike group spent time in and near the Red Sea defending commercial and military vessels against Houthi drones and missiles launched from Yemen. The aging warship and components of its strike group saw the first air-to-air engagement against drones and the first combat employment of the precision-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs as the carrier defended merchant ships against almost daily attacks in the Red Sea from Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The group’s air wing expended 60 air-to-air missiles and released 420 air-to-surface weapons. All told, the strike group completed more than 13,800 flights totaling about 31,500 hours.
“It was very dynamic. It was something we really have not seen — for the carrier strike group to be that close to that kind of fight — since World War II,” Capt. Marvin Scott, commander of the air wing, said in July when the ships returned home from deployment.
The maintenance period will include comprehensive work on the carrier’s propulsion systems, crew habitability, combat systems and aviation support capabilities. In addition to routine maintenance, upgrades to critical systems will ensure the carrier remains mission-ready and extends its operational effectiveness.
The crew will have an opportunity to focus on professional development, family reintegration and personal readiness after a demanding deployment.
”Our sailors will continue to exemplify the same dedication they’ve shown throughout the deployment,” said said Eisenhower commanding officer Capt. Chris Hill. “We will emerge from this phase stronger, ready and more capable than ever before.”
A PIA is part of the maintenance phase of the Navy’s Optimized Fleet Response Plan, which helps the Navy balance operational requirements with time for training and maintenance.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) transits the Elizabeth River to Norfolk Naval Shipyard on Jan. 8, 2025. (Evan Antonisse/U.S. Navy)