Big E's Final Voyage: First Nuclear Carrier Dismantled

The USS Enterprise (CVN 65), the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, has commenced its final journey to Mobile, Alabama, where it will be dismantled. This marks a historic moment as it is the first nuclear-powered carrier to undergo such a process. Commissioned in 1961, the 'Big E' served during critical historical periods including the Cold War and the Vietnam War.

The decommissioning process for the Enterprise began in 2012, with nuclear material removal completed by 2017. While other nuclear vessels, like submarines, have been decommissioned, the Enterprise's massive scale presents unique challenges. Engineers will be developing a new method for its disassembly, creating a vital blueprint for the U.S. Navy's future disposal of similar large-deck nuclear carriers.