Enterprise Sets Sail on Its Epic Last Journey

Preparations have commenced to decommission USS Enterprise, the Navy’s initial nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, at the very shipyard where it was initially constructed.

The U.S. Navy’s most senior operational nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz , is presently operational in the Philippine Sea In what might be the vessel’s last mission before retirement, an even more ancient aircraft carrier is now getting ready for her ultimate journey.

Ingalls Industry’s Newport News Shipbuilding is getting ready for the decommissioning of the previous USS. Enterprise the inaugural nuclear-powered supercarrier of the U.S. Navy.

WAVY.com reported Last week, it was noted that the ship's elevators are permanently affixed to the flight deck. Enterprise’s transfer to a different shipyard for dismantling and recycling of the renowned warship. The preliminary disassembly tasks are currently taking place at the same yard where "The Big E" was constructed from 1958 to 1961.

USS Enterprise She served for over five decades until her retirement in 2012, followed by formal decommissioning in 2017.

When she was decommissioned, she stood as the third oldest active ship in the U.S. Navy following the wooden-hulled frigate USS Constitution and the USS Pueblo the latter of which was captured in January 1968 by North Korea.

Texas or Alabama Set to Take Apart the Opponent Enterprise

In Brownsville, Texas, or Mobile, Alabama, commercial shipbreaking companies will handle the disposal of the aircraft carrier. This task is intricate due to the presence of the vessel's eight nuclear reactors, which make it unsuitable for preservation as a memorial site. It has been considered overly difficult and costly to dismantle the ship, extract the reactors, and convert it into a floating museum.

The decommissioned reactor facilities along with various components will ultimately be transported to designated waste disposal locations across the nation.

A specific date for the final tug has not been released, and the total expenses associated with decommissioning the aircraft carrier have yet to be calculated. Past estimates has proposed that it might range from $554 million to $1.55 billion, with the entire process potentially taking a decade or more!

The wait itself has turned out to be expensive.

As Maritime Executive reported In late 2023, "The Navy anticipates substantial savings since maintaining the ship securely and in an eco-friendly manner without taking any actions would amount to approximately $10 million per year. If partial dismantlement were carried out at a commercial site—with responsibility for the propulsion system remaining with the Navy—the project could range from $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion over a period of fifteen years. However, the Navy forecasts costs between $554 million and $696 million when contracting a private company for full demolition; this process is expected to be completed within about five years."

In contrast, the U.S. Navy had sold the decommissioned non-nuclear supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk and USS John F. Kennedy for one penny each These two flattops were retired in 2007 and 2009, respectively.

In January, the John F. Kennedy completed her trip From the United States Navy’s Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia to International Shipbreaking Limited in Brownsville, Texas.

Attempts to maintain them as a floating museum were unsuccessful too, probably due to the carrier layouts potentially exposing vital information. Nimitz -class and Gerald R. Ford -classes of carriers currently in operation.

The Final Chapter for the USS Enterprise

The U.S. Navy is now set to simplify the recycling process for the USS Nimitz This might also entail a complex procedure that includes deactivating the vessel, discarding the reactor compartments, and ultimately dismantling it entirely. The entire process could potentially last as long as fifteen years.

Although usable components will be retrieved for future use by other vessels, this remains an expensive procedure that prompts consideration into why the U.S. Navy persists with constructing aircraft carriers that span several years to complete and come with multibillion-dollar price tags, followed by similarly enormous costs and extensive durations just to decommission them. Detractors have additionally voiced concerns over their substantial profiles making them prime targets.

The final stop for USS Enterprise should serve as a sign that it might be time to stop constructing nuclear-powered carriers.

About the Creator: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed In excess of 3,200 written works have been featured across more than forty different magazines and online platforms throughout his thirty-year journalistic journey. His writing frequently covers topics such as military equipment, firearm history, cyber security issues, political matters, and global events. Additionally, Peter specializes in... Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs He resides in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu You have the option to send an email directly to the author at Editor@The News Pulse.org.

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