For the second time this year, one of the United States Navy’s nuclear-powered supercarriers caught fire. Three sailors were reportedly injured in a small fire aboard the USS on Tuesday Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). The sailors were treated on the warship and have since returned to full duty, the US Navy confirmed.
The service has not indicated where the fire occurred, but it occurred during CVN-69’s “maintenance availability,” a scheduled period where a warship ceases operations for repairs or upgrades, at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Has been in port at a US Navy shipyard for 16 months, undergoing post-deployment maintenance.
“On April 14, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower A small fire was quickly extinguished and extinguished by the ship’s force and Norfolk Naval Shipyard personnel, who responded quickly as trained. Three sailors were treated by the ship’s medical and returned to full duty,” the US Navy said in a media release, USNI News reported.
It was a month earlier that the USS USS suffered a more serious fire Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which took about 30 hours to contain and affected carrier operations for two days afterward. The ship underwent repairs in Split, Croatia and was back at sea in the Eastern Mediterranean as of this week.
Fire during PIA
USS Dwight D. EisenhowerSecond Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, arrived at Virginia Shipyard on January 8, 2025 for planned increased availability.
“The maintenance phase ensures the carrier’s capabilities will meet future operational demands,” the US Navy announced at the time.
PIA followed the most recent deployment of the supercarrier, which began in October 2023 and ended in July 2024. At the time, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Executed continuous operations in the US 5th Fleet area of operations.
US Navy Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Airman Gracia Estiladosantos Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), clearing debris on the flight deck on March 18, 2026.
(Photo by U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jamison Sutton)
According to the US Navy, the 2025 PIA includes “extensive work” on CVN-69’s propulsion system, crew accommodation, combat systems, and aviation support capabilities. Apart from routine maintenance, upgrades were made to critical systems to ensure the carrier remained mission-ready while also enhancing operational effectiveness.
It is unclear whether the fire will delay maintenance. The US Navy has not indicated when CVN-69 will deploy next.
About Ike – What’s not to like
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower — “Ike” to her crew — is the second of 10 Nimitz-class supercarriers are now in service with the US Navy. Named in honor of the 34th President of the United States and a former General of the Army, the warship has been in service for more than four decades.
Congress authorized the construction of CVN-69 in 1970, and she was commissioned seven years later. After more than a year of fleet training, Ike deployed to the Mediterranean for the first time. The warship underwent a major overhaul in the mid-1980s, during which she was outfitted with new technology, and returned to service in 1987.
In her long service history, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower It has been deployed in a litany of combat operations in the Middle East, beginning with Operation Eagle Claw during the 1980 Iran hostage crisis.
After Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the most notable deployment of an aircraft carrier occurred during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. CVN-69 made history, becoming the second nuclear powered carrier to transit the Suez Canal.
During her 2023-2024 deployment, the US Navy’s second in service carrier operated in the Red Sea, where she protected commercial shipping under fire from the Iranian-backed Houthis in response to the war in Gaza.
There is speculation that the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Epic Fury could be sent back to the Middle East if the ongoing campaign against Iran continues. The Norfolk-based USS George HW Bush (CVN-77) is now en route to the area.
As of this week, the USS Gerald R. FordIt has also been supporting combat operations against the Islamic Republic, setting a record for the longest post-Vietnam War-era deployment. As of Thursday, CVN-78 has been at sea for 296 days, surpassing the 294 days set by the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) during her 2019-2020 deployment.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
