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A fighter jet recently landed aboard the U.S. Navy’s oldest-serving aircraft carrier for the 350,000th time, marking a historic achievement for USS Nimitz before the ship’s decades of service come to an end.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet from the Strike Fighter Squadron 22 made an arrested landing on the 48-year-old Nimitz on the morning of April 22 as the vessel transited waters in the South China Sea. The jet, a cornerstone of American naval aviation, was piloted by Capt. Craig Sicola, commanding officer of the Nimitz, and Cmdr. Luke Edwards, commanding officer of the squadron.
It marked the 350,000th time that a fixed-wing aircraft has landed on the flight deck of the carrier. It’s the first time an aircraft carrier in active service has reached this milestone. Aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has recorded 326,600 arrested landings, the next highest total.
“I am honored and humbled to land this historic milestone for our ship,” Sicola said in a Navy statement. “I dedicate this landing to the countless naval aviators who have flown before me, and it is a privilege to further the proud tradition of service that this distinguished aircraft carrier embodies.”
“To the shipyard maintenance teams who put in countless hours to prepare this warship for sea, to the thousands of dedicated Sailors on board who sacrifice for their country, and to the families back home who…