The USS Nimitz Could Be Damaged by an Iranian Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile

Brandon J. Weichert

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A salvo of Iranian missiles, launched from coastal batteries or mobile platforms—especially if paired with drone swarms—could theoretically penetrate the carrier group’s defenses.

American forces in the Mideast are waiting for the arrival of the USS Nimitz, America’s oldest nuclear-powered supercarrier. In the run-up to the recent “Operation Midnight Hammer”—America’s airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities—it was speculated that the carrier’s air wing would be needed to escort the US Air Force’s B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bombers carrying GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) to their targets.

Ultimately, the air wing went unused for that purpose; there are other carriers on-site. However, the Navy is placing the Nimitz near the Persian Gulf in preparation for an Iranian counterattack against American troops in the region. In doing so, it is putting the ship within the extended range of Iranian anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs)—leaving open the possibility that the ship might be targeted in retaliation.

Iran’s Missiles Pose a Threat to the USS Nimitz

Should Tehran decide to retaliate fully—and should the Americans (and Israelis) fail to totally dominate the airspace over Iran—the Iranians could very well get a kill shot on the American carrier in the days to come. Indeed, during America’s recent unsuccessful mission to defeat the Houthi militant group in Yemen, its ASBM capability was so profound—and came so close to damaging US carriers—that Washington cut its losses rather than continue risking its vulnerable and expensive carriers.

Of course, the assets that the Trump administration brought to the strike on Iran was greater than those devoted to Yemen. During the strike, the US Navy deployed E/A-18G Growlers and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to cover for the B-2 Spirits. And in the aftermath, rather than risk a newer carrier with possible retaliation from Iran’s complex ASBM arsenal, the Americans are choosing to risk an older one—the venerable Nimitz—that is set to be decommissioned next year in any case.