Program · United States · U.S. Navy
Nimitz-class Aircraft Carrier
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier · Fielded · U.S. Navy
Cost to the Government
| Measure | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Program totals · 1 | ||
| Development program totalA separately scoped historical development total has not been verified. | Not established | — |
| Unit costs · 1 | ||
| CVN-77 procurement estimateEstimate for George H. W. Bush in GAO-05-183; not its final cost or a class average. | $5.024BReported budget $ | Defense Acquisitions: Improved Management Practices Could Help Minimize Cost Growth in Navy Shipbuilding Programs, GAO-05-183 GAO · figure FY2005 budget |
| Quantities · 2 | ||
| Fleet snapshotCBO January 2025 snapshot; retirement dates must be checked before treating this as today’s count. | 10U.S. only | An Analysis of the Navy’s 2025 Shipbuilding Plan, January 2025, pp. 21–22 CBO · figure 2025 shipbuilding analysis |
| Class builtLegacy class; replacement procurement belongs to Ford. | 10U.S. only | An Analysis of the Navy’s 2025 Shipbuilding Plan, January 2025, pp. 21–22 CBO · figure 2025 shipbuilding analysis |
| Operating costs · 2 | ||
| Annual O&S / shipGAO reported average for this class; this is a historical annual cost, not a current operating budget. | $534.5M / yrConstant FY2021 $ | Weapon System Sustainment: GAO-23-106440, FY2020 costs and FY2021 inventories GAO · figure FY2020 |
| Annual maintenance / shipMaintenance is included in O&S above; do not add the two. | $229.5M / yrConstant FY2021 $ | Weapon System Sustainment: GAO-23-106440, FY2020 costs and FY2021 inventories GAO · figure FY2020 |
Program totals · 1
- Development program totalA separately scoped historical development total has not been verified.Source not recordedNot established
Unit costs · 1
- CVN-77 procurement estimateEstimate for George H. W. Bush in GAO-05-183; not its final cost or a class average.$5.024BReported budget $
Quantities · 2
- Fleet snapshotCBO January 2025 snapshot; retirement dates must be checked before treating this as today’s count.An Analysis of the Navy’s 2025 Shipbuilding Plan, January 2025, pp. 21–22 CBO · figure 2025 shipbuilding analysis10U.S. only
- Class builtLegacy class; replacement procurement belongs to Ford.An Analysis of the Navy’s 2025 Shipbuilding Plan, January 2025, pp. 21–22 CBO · figure 2025 shipbuilding analysis10U.S. only
Operating costs · 2
- Annual O&S / shipGAO reported average for this class; this is a historical annual cost, not a current operating budget.Weapon System Sustainment: GAO-23-106440, FY2020 costs and FY2021 inventories GAO · figure FY2020$534.5M / yrConstant FY2021 $
- Annual maintenance / shipMaintenance is included in O&S above; do not add the two.Weapon System Sustainment: GAO-23-106440, FY2020 costs and FY2021 inventories GAO · figure FY2020$229.5M / yrConstant FY2021 $
Earlier observations · 2
Superseded estimates and prices, each in its original scope and dollar basis.
| Measure | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| CVN-77 procurement estimateEstimate for George H. W. Bush in GAO-05-183; not its final cost or a class average. | $5.024BReported budget $ | Defense Acquisitions: Improved Management Practices Could Help Minimize Cost Growth in Navy Shipbuilding Programs, GAO-05-183 GAO · figure FY2005 budget |
| CVN-77 initial estimateSame hull as the FY2005 budget comparison. | $4.975BReported budget $ | Defense Acquisitions: Improved Management Practices Could Help Minimize Cost Growth in Navy Shipbuilding Programs, GAO-05-183 GAO · figure Initial budget estimate, GAO 2005 |
- CVN-77 procurement estimateEstimate for George H. W. Bush in GAO-05-183; not its final cost or a class average.$5.024BReported budget $
- CVN-77 initial estimateSame hull as the FY2005 budget comparison.Defense Acquisitions: Improved Management Practices Could Help Minimize Cost Growth in Navy Shipbuilding Programs, GAO-05-183 GAO · figure Initial budget estimate, GAO 2005$4.975BReported budget $
What drives lifetime cost
Acquisition, annual ship operations, embarked aircraft, and midlife refueling are different scopes. The annual ship figure does not price an entire carrier strike group.
Contracts & purchasing · 1
Ceilings, options and purchase agreements are not spending and are never added together. Obligations are under Contracts.
| Buyer → seller | Status | Value | Qty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Navy → HII / Newport NewsStennis midlife overhaul; this is not a new carrier purchase and excludes the air wing. | Refueling and overhaul award | $2.9B | 1 | USS John C. Stennis refueling and complex overhaul award, February 19, 2021 HII · figure Feb 19, 2021 |
Open research: Separately scoped historical R&D total remains unverified; missing is not zero. Quantity and cost figures retain their source dates. Historical snapshots are not a census of operational availability on the review date. No international purchase record verified in this profile; this is not proof that no foreign operators exist.
What the government budgets and pays for this program, from budget justification books, appropriations, acquisition reports and contract announcements. Each figure states its dollar basis. What contractors were obligated is under Contracts.
No participants, contracts or systems recorded for this program yet.