In a historic first, the U.S. Navy is navigating the intricate and unprecedented process of dismantling and scrapping a behemoth of American naval engineering—the decommissioned USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Feb. 4, 2012) The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) is underway in the Atlantic Ocean participating in exercise Bold Alligator 2012. Bold Alligator is the largest naval amphibious exercise in the past 10 years and represents the Navy and Marine Corps’ revitalization of the full range of amphibious operations. The exercise focuses on today’s fight with today’s forces, while showcasing the advantages of seabasing. The exercise will take place Jan. 30 through Feb. 12, 2012, afloat and ashore in and around Virginia and North Carolina. #BA12 (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nick C. Scott/Released)
After more than a decade since the ship’s deactivation in 2012 and decommissioning in 2017, the Navy has charted a course toward its final dismantlement, a task that promises to be as complex as the vessel’s storied past.
The USS Enterprise was a marvel of naval innovation, first commissioned into service in 1961. Over its 51 years of service, the ship not only changed the dynamics of naval warfare but also became the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Navy history.
It was an iconic presence in multiple conflicts, from the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Now, it faces a dismantlement process that is set to begin in 2025 and span until 2029—coinciding with the decommissioning schedules of its successors in the nuclear-powered carrier lineage, like the USS Nimitz (CVN-68).
The magnitude of this disposal project is unlike any other. With eight nuclear reactors on board, the Enterprise poses unique challenges that surpass those of disposing of smaller nuclear-powered vessels such as submarines, which the Navy has more experience with.
The complexity is further compounded by the scale of the carrier and the need to ensure environmental and safety protocols are strictly adhered to throughout the disposal process.
In an effort to address these challenges, the Navy has embraced a novel approach: enlisting the commercial industry for a job traditionally managed in-house.
This decision is informed by the Navy’s prior experience with nuclear propulsion programs and the modern capabilities of private companies skilled in dismantling nuclear power plants.
The service’s proposed plan involves towing the Enterprise to a commercial facility where the defueled reactors will be meticulously disassembled and packaged, then transported to long-term storage facilities.
SAN DIEGO (July 29, 2009) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 transits into San Diego prior to mooring at Naval Air Station North Island. Nimitz is preparing for a 2009 regularly scheduled Western Pacific Deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner Jr./Released)
The projected cost of using commercial industry for the disposal of the USS Enterprise is estimated between $554 and $696 million, a figure that significantly undercuts the $1.1 to $1.4 billion cost and extended 15-year timeframe that would be required if the work were to be done at public shipyards.
ABOARD THE USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER CVN-69 (01 Aug, 2000) While completing their six month deployment and transiting westward towards the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean, the crew of the USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69), display their teamwork and pride by strategically falling into ranks to spell out their name and accomplishments for a awesome aerial photograph. The IKE, and CARRIER AIRWING SEVEN are currently heading west toward the Atlantic after completing a successful six month deployment to the Med and Arabian Gulf. (Photo taken by Photographers Mate 2nd Class David E. Carter II; caption written by Seaman Pauly Soto)
Utilizing a commercial dismantlement facility, the Navy not only anticipates significant savings but also expects the procedure to take a more condensed five years.
This decision is not without its strategic advantages. By leveraging industry expertise, the Navy can prioritize its limited shipyard resources on active fleet maintenance and other high-priority tasks.
It’s a paradigm shift that signals a departure from the Navy’s historic self-reliance in the realm of nuclear vessel disposal.
The move is expected to “reduce the Navy inactive ship inventory, eliminate costs associated with maintaining the ship in a safe stowage condition, and dispose of legacy radiological and hazardous wastes in an environmentally responsible manner,” according to Navy spokesman Alan Baribeau.