United States Ship (USS) Nimitz, an aircraft carrier and one of the largest warships in the world, will visit Esquimalt, B.C., June 13-16. The ship is stopping for this short visit before continuing on to Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental & Test Ranges (CFMETR) at Nanoose Bay to conduct trials and testing.
The United States is Canada’s most important ally and defence partner. Defence and security relations between the two countries are longstanding, well-entrenched, and highly successful. The closeness of the Canada-U.S. defence partnership provides both countries with greater security than could be achieved individually.
The visiting vessel, USS Nimitz, was commissioned on May 3, 1975. It is the first of 10 warships in its class. These warships are the world’s largest. USS Nimitz is sailing with nearly 2,200 sailors.
The RCN and USN have a long history of reaching out to communities at home and abroad in an ongoing effort to enhance relationships at all levels. During the visit, USN sailors will serve lunch at Our Place Society and Homeless Shelter in Victoria on Saturday, June 14. RCN and USN sailors will also compete in sporting events at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt’s Colville Athletic Fields beginning at 2 p.m. on June 14.
[mappress] Press Release, June 13, 2014; Image: Canadian Navy