SAN DIEGO - The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) arrived at Naval Air Station North Island, Sept. 2, concluding the ship’s homeport shift from Washington to California.

Vinson completed 17 months of maintenance and upgrades at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton, Washington, including a complete restoration and system retrofit to accommodate F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter mission capabilities.

“On behalf of the strike group and our flagship, USS Carl Vinson, I want to say thank you to the city of San Diego for its continued support,” said Rear Adm. Timothy J. Kott, commander, Carrier Strike Group One. “Our strike group has been a part of the community for more than a decade and as ‘America’s Favorite Carrier’ returns to the San Diego, we look forward to continuing our positive relationship with ‘America’s Finest City.’”

In accordance with COVID-19 safety protocols, all embarked personnel completed either restriction of movement or COVID-19 testing, as required, prior to the ship’s departure from Washington. Attendance at Vinson’s arrival in San Diego was limited to ensure the safety of Sailors, families and the community.

Vinson’s commanding officer thanked the crew’s family and friends for their support and gave a “Bravo Zulu” to the ship’s 3,000 Sailors for their work.

“I just can’t say thank you enough to our wonderful families who supported us and cheered us on through the successful completion of this maintenance period,” said Capt. Matthew Paradise, of Tacoma, Washington. “And to the Vinson crew, the work you did was beyond impressive. Not only did you successfully carry us through this unprecedented maintenance, you did it as a team, operating in this new normal of COVID-19 mitigation and prevention.”

The ship’s maintenance period also included upgrades to combat systems, electrical systems, and crew living spaces, as well as preservation of the ship’s hull, rudders, and shafts.

USS Carl Vinson can carry more than 65 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, and can travel more than 5,000 nautical miles in less than seven days in support of national tasking.