CARRIER, a 10-part series filmed aboard the USS Nimitz, is a character-driven immersion in the high stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier. The programs follow a core group of characters, from the admiral of the strike group to the fighter pilots to the youngest sailors, as they navigate personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror. Filmed in high-definition video from May to November 2005 during a deployment to the Persian Gulf, CARRIER takes a raw and personal look at the Navy’s role in this controversial war.

USS Nimitz has answered her country’s call many times in response to regional and international crises. In doing so, the aircraft carrier has secured a prominent place in history, just like her namesake, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. After her commissioning on May 3, 1975, Nimitz’ first deployment began on July 7, 1976 when she departed Norfolk, Virginia for the Mediterranean.

In May 2005, Nimitz embarked on a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism. These operations helped set the conditions for security and stability in the maritime environment and complemented the counter-terrorism and security efforts of regional nations. While in the Fifth Fleet area of operations, Nimitz and its embarked air wing, CVW 11, launched more than 4,500 sorties totaling more than 11,000 flight hours. More than 1,100 sorties and 6,000 flight hours were flown in direct support of troops on the ground in Iraq.