In a significant shift for the United States Navy, a new chapter unfolds with the first-ever dismantlement of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the iconic USS Enterprise (CVN-65).

Following its decommissioning, the Enterprise has been awaiting its ultimate fate at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.

The exceptional size and complexity of the vessel have ruled out traditional methods of ship disposal, such as use in target practice or simple handover to salvage companies.

The 428-page draft examines the environmental impacts of dismantling the Enterprise, a vessel constructed with eight nuclear reactors.

The dismantlement is scheduled to start in 2025 and conclude by 2029, as public Navy documents indicate.

This time frame is significant, given the imminent retirement of the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in 2026, with the USS Eisenhower (CVN-69) following shortly after.

“The Navy has had a tough time figuring out … what’s the process we’d go about dismantling this thing,” said Bryan Clark, a fellow at the Hudson Institute and retired submariner.

This sentiment echoes the complexity and pioneering nature of the project.

The Navy’s decision to use commercial industry is estimated to cost between $554 and $696 million.

Notably less than the projected $1.1 to $1.4 billion cost associated with using public shipyards.

Not only is the commercial option more cost-effective, but it is also much faster, reducing the potential dismantlement duration from over 15 years to a mere five.

“The commercial route will 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 while meeting the operational needs of the Navy,” said the Navy spokesperson Baribeau, highlighting the multifaceted benefits of this decision.

Researcher Bradley Martin of the RAND Corporation sees the commercial dismantlement as potentially beneficial in the long run.

“The capacity of Navy shipyards to deal with everything they’re supposed to be dealing with is already pretty strained,” he observed.

As part of this groundbreaking operation, the Enterprise will likely be towed to a commercial dismantlement facility, with evaluated sites in Hampton Roads, Va., Brownsville, Texas, and Mobile, Ala.