U.S. to Dismantle First Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise for $537 Million

The U.S. Navy will dismantle the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, under a contract worth nearly $537 million.

According to Defense Mirror, NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services has been awarded a $536,749,731 contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to carry out the work.

The project involves full dismantling of the former Enterprise-class carrier and recycling or disposal of all materials.

Hazardous materials, including low-level radioactive waste, will be packaged and transported to licensed disposal facilities.

The work will be carried out in Mobile, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by November 2029.

USS Enterprise

Commissioned on November 25, 1961, USS Enterprise was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the world. Built by Newport News Shipbuilding, it featured eight nuclear reactors — more than any subsequent U.S. carrier, which typically used two.

The vessel measured 1,123 feet (342.29 meters) in length, had a displacement of approximately 95,000 tons, and could carry up to 90 aircraft. Powered by four propeller shafts, the ship reached speeds of over 33 knots. Its crew numbered around 4,600.

Over its 51 years of service, Enterprise participated in key military operations, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and deployments in the Middle East. It was decommissioned on February 3, 2017, and remains the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Navy history.

Due to its nuclear propulsion, dismantling Enterprise poses unique challenges. The Navy has established a new unit dedicated specifically to the decommissioning of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

Separately, the Navy has yet to announce a winner in the competition to develop the sixth-generation F/A-XX carrier-based fighter, reportedly due to funding delays.