USS Enterprise Departs Virginia for Dismantling in Alabama

The United States Navy confirmed that the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the world, departed Newport News, Virginia, on November 2, 2026. The vessel is traveling to Mobile, Alabama, where it will undergo a comprehensive dismantling process.

Commissioned in 1961 and decommissioned in 2017, the ship served for 55 years during the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and post-9/11 conflicts. NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services, a partnership between NorthStar Group Services and Modern American Recycling and Radiological Services, was awarded a $536 million contract to handle the dismantling. While the U.S. government will manage the radioactive components, the commercial partnership will process the remainder of the vessel, with completion slated for November 2029.

Navy officials intend to use this commercial process as a model for the decommissioning of the USS Nimitz, scheduled for early 2027. Kevin Cormier, Deputy Portfolio Acquisition Executive Maritime for Aircraft Carriers, stated that the ship will be remembered for its "proud legacy of service."