The US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68), which has been conducting maritime security operations in the South China Sea, has set a course west towards the Middle East, Reuters reported, citing data from the ship tracking system Marine Traffic, News.bg reports.

The flagship of the US Pacific Fleet was scheduled to visit the Vietnamese city of Da Nang on June 20, but the visit was canceled at the last minute. According to sources from "Reuters", the cancellation was imposed due to "an extraordinary operational necessity" announced by the US Embassy in Hanoi. The embassy itself has not yet issued an official comment on the case.

The USS Nimitz recently completed a series of exercises and patrol missions in the South China Sea, as part of the regular presence of the US Navy in the Indo-Pacific region.

The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is the first ship of the eponymous class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers of the US Navy and is among the largest warships ever built. Commissioned in 1975, it remains one of the foundations of American naval power. With a length of nearly 333 meters and a displacement of over 100,000 tons, Nimitz is capable of carrying up to 90 combat and support aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters, helicopters and early warning aircraft.

The aircraft carrier is powered by two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors, which give it a virtually unlimited operational range and a maximum speed exceeding 30 knots (approximately 56 kilometers per hour). The ship has a crew of over 5,000, including about 3,200 sailors and 2,480 aircrew.

The ship is equipped with advanced self-defense capabilities, including Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile systems, Phalanx CIWS automatic weapons systems for close protection, and integrated electronic warfare and reconnaissance systems.

The USS Nimitz is based in Bremerton, Washington, and often serves as the flagship of a strike group that includes escort cruisers, destroyers, and submarines. Despite its age, the ship remains operationally active and fully combat-ready, thanks to regular upgrades and its strategic role in projecting American power at sea.