USS Ronald Reagan departs for sea trials, targeting spring 2027 deployment

The Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Ronald Reagan completed a 17-month Drydock Planned Incremental Availability at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Washington. On Thursday the vessel departed Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton and entered the eastern Pacific to commence post-maintenance sea trials, which will be followed by rigorous certification, integration and training phases. Crew members have begun pre-deployment exercises, such as flight-deck training conducted last month while the ship was in port.

Previously forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, the carrier served as flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5 until May 2024. It is expected to be ready for its next deployment in spring 2027, with a mid-life refueling planned for the early 2030s to extend service into the mid-2050s.