DVIDS (CENTCOM / DoD): USS Carl Vinson completes Planned Incremental Availability

SAN DIEGO - Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) completed a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) at Naval Air Station North Island, June 12, 2026.

Carl Vinson’s PIA began in November 2025 when the ship began dedicated maintenance by civilians, contractors and Sailors in order to make improvements, maintain material readiness, and prepare “America’s Favorite Carrier” to protect the security, freedom, and prosperity for the U.S. and our allies and partners.

“This availability was vital to enhancing and upgrading Carl Vinson to maintain operational readiness,” said Capt. Joshua Wenker, commanding officer of Carl Vinson. “Through the combined efforts of our Sailors, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard teammates, supporting commands from across the country, and a dedicated civilian workforce, America’s Favorite Carrier has successfully completed this maintenance phase, becoming an even more capable and resilient combat-ready force, prepared to execute any mission around the globe.”

During PIA, upgrades and modifications focused on all areas of the ship.

“Our Sailors’ efforts were vital in preparing Carl Vinson to return to sea,” said Cmdr. Paul Novess, Carl Vinson’s maintenance officer. “It was my honor to bring Sailors from all rates into our 13 production teams to safely execute more than 359,000 man hours of maintenance.”

Carl Vinson returned from a deployment in 2025 after nine months at sea operating in the Pacific and the Middle East. The deployment included multinational exercises with U.S. allies and partners and combat operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Carl Vinson is America’s third Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, and its mission is to conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in planning, control, coordination, and integration of air wing squadrons in support of carrier air warfare. The ship’s namesake honors one of the longest-serving U.S. congressmen who had a profound impact on naval shipbuilding and strategic operational capacity with the Two-Ocean Navy Act of 1940.

For more news from Carl Vinson, visithttp://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN70.