A fire broke out on a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered supercarrier for the second time this year. A small fire broke out in the U.S. Navy on Tuesday, reportedly injuring three sailors Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). The U.S. Navy confirmed that the sailors received treatment on the ship and have returned to full-time work.
The service did not identify the location of the fire, but it occurred during CVN-69’s “maintenance availability period,” a period when a warship is suspended from operations at Naval Base Norfolk, Virginia, for repairs or upgrades.
U.S. Navy Dwight D. Eisenhower It has been moored at the U.S. Naval Shipyard port for 16 months and is undergoing post-deployment maintenance.
“On April 14, the U.S. Navy Dwight D. Eisenhower A small fire broke out and was immediately controlled and extinguished by the ship’s troops and Norfolk Naval Shipyard personnel, who responded quickly as trained. The U.S. Navy said in a statement to the media that the three sailors received shipboard medical treatment and returned to full-time work, according to U.S. Naval Institute News.
Just a month ago, another more serious fire broke out on the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), took nearly 30 hours to contain, and then affected the carrier’s operations for two days. The ship has since undergone repairs in Split, Croatia, and returned to the eastern Mediterranean this week.
Fire breaks out during PIA
U.S. Navy Dwight D. Eisenhowerthe second Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, arrived at the Virginia Shipyard on January 8, 2025, and was delivered in planned increments.
“The maintenance phase ensures the carrier’s capabilities meet future operational requirements,” the Navy announced at the time.
The PIA follows the supercarrier’s most recent deployment, which begins in October 2023 and ends in July 2024. During this period, U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower Conduct sustained operations in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations.
U.S. Naval Aviation adjutant (movement) Airman Grecia Estilladosantos clears debris from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) March 18, 2026.
(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Jamison Sutton)
According to the Navy, the 2025 PIA includes “comprehensive work” on the CVN-69’s propulsion system, crew habitability, combat systems and aviation support capabilities. In addition to routine maintenance, key systems have been upgraded to ensure the carrier remains mission-ready while improving operational efficiency.
It’s unclear whether the fire will delay repairs. The Navy has not yet indicated when CVN-69 will next deploy.
About Ike – What’s Not to Like?
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower – “Ike” to her crew – is the second of 10 Nimitz-class super aircraft carrier is now in service with the U.S. Navy. The warship, named in honor of the 34th president of the United States and former Army general, has been in service for more than four decades.
Congress authorized construction of CVN-69 in 1970, and it entered service seven years later. After more than a year of fleet training, Ike deployed to the Mediterranean for the first time. The warship underwent an overhaul in the mid-1980s, during which it was equipped with updated technology, and returned to service in 1987.
Throughout its long history of service, the U.S. Navy Dwight D. Eisenhower It has been deployed in a range of combat operations in the Middle East since Operation Eagle Claw during the 1980 Iran Hostage Crisis.
One of the carrier’s most notable deployments occurred during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. CVN-69 made history at the time, becoming the second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ever to transit the Suez Canal.
During its 2023-2024 deployment, the U.S. Navy’s second-oldest commissioned aircraft carrier will operate in the Red Sea, protecting commercial shipping coming under attack by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels as a result of the war in Gaza.
Some people speculate that USS Dwight D. Eisenhower If Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing campaign against Iran, continues, it may be deployed back to the Middle East. U.S. Navy ship stationed in Norfolk George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is currently en route to the area.
As of this week, the U.S. Navy Gerald R. FordThe group has also been supporting combat operations against the Islamic Republic, recording its longest deployment since the Vietnam War. As of Thursday, CVN-78 had been at sea for 296 days, exceeding the 294 days set by the USS abraham lincoln (CVN-72) during the 2019-2020 deployment.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
