The end of the atomic legend era. USS Enterprise goes for razor blades

On May 30, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced a selection of the contractor that will carry out the scrapping of an ex-USS aircraft carrierEnterprise(CVN-65). Thus, a multi-annual procedure related to the final dismantling of the first ever US Navy nuclear carrier, withdrawn from service in 2017 after 55 years at sea.

First nuclear aircraft carrier USSEnterprisegoes to history

Among the extensive military and geopolitical activities of the Pentagon's forts announced a decision that closes one of the key chapters in the history of the US Navy.Big E'Cause that's what the USS was commonly calledEnterprise(CVN-65) – the world's first nuclear aircraft carrier, and at the same time the icon of the U.S. naval power of the second half of the 20th century – will be scrapped.

The American NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services LLC signed a US$536.7 million contract for a comprehensive dismantling of the legendary unit.As a result of this agreementThe ship will be stripped to the last element. This process will also include adequate segregation, recycling and safe disposal of hazardous materials, including radioactive waste. The entire operation will be carried out in the Mobile port of Alabama and will continue until the end of 2029.

"Big E": Over half a century of service and symbol of American primacy in the seas

Launched on September 24, 1960 and inducted into service on November 25, 1961, USS aircraft carrierEnterprisewas not only a pioneering construction – it was a trailer of a new era. The full displacement ship 93 300 tonnes, powered by eight A2W nuclear reactors, reached a speed exceeding 33 knots and had an aviation group of up to 90 fighter and helicopter fighters.

During 51 years of active service,Enterpriseparticipated in almost all key operations of the American fleet – since the Cuban crisis,through the Vietnam War, after action in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region. In 2012, he finished his final combat deployment, and on February 3, 2017, he was officially withdrawn from the line.

Big E – symbol of the past, material of the future

Before being transferred to demolition, Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard responsible for building USSEnterprise, dismantled the nuclear gym of the unit. Part of the steel thus obtained – over 16 tonnes – will be used to build a newUSS carrierEnterprise(CVN-80), belonging to the new Gerald R. Ford type. This will make the legacy of "Big E" symbolically transferred to modernity.

Deterioration of USSEnterpriseIt's also a kind of ground for the U.S. Navy – the first such venture in American naval history. The experience gained during this operation is intended to serve as a model for the planned withdrawal of further Nimitz units.

Twilight legend that inspired generations

The ship, whose name inspired Hollywood productions and which for decades have been threatened by opponents, goes to history not with a bang but with dignity due to the individual of this class. Disassembly does not mean forgetting – on the contrary.USSEnterprisepermanentIt entered the identity of the American war fleet and remains a reference point for each next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

This is how an era ends – not only in the history of military technology, but also in a broader strategic sense. This is the end of a legend that for more than half a century has embodies a globally designed force. But the carrier's legacyEnterprisewill not disappear – it will continue, inscribed in steel new decks and memory of maritime history.

Written by Mariusz Dasiewicz

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