The Enterprise is an old ship - 51 hard years in service. In recent years it has increasingly become hard to maintain. Vessels like this begin to eat naval budgets alive late in their service lives, at least if they’re to be kept seaworthy, and not just harbor queens. The reactors are nearing the end of their operational lifespans. As sad as it may be, better to decommission her and spend naval funds on constructing newer Ford-class carriers.
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There are expected to be ten ships of this class.[16] To date, three have been announced:
Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) (2015): scheduled to replace Enterprise (CVN-65).
John F. Kennedy (CVN-79)[1] (2020): scheduled to replace Nimitz (CVN-68).
CVN-80 (2025): scheduled to replace Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69).
The United States Navy's Public Affairs Office has requested input from the American public as to what the remaining eight ships in the class should be named. Anecdotal reports from naval officers indicate that the public favors naming the new CVN-21s after famous Navy warships of the past, mainly those of the Revolutionary War era and the famous carriers of World War II. Reportedly, Enterprise is the most favored name, followed by Saratoga, Lexington, Hornet, Wasp, and Guadalcanal. The reports also seem to indicate that the public does not want more carriers named after politicians or Presidents.[citation needed]
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Hope this is accurate info and that the Navy pays heed to it.
IMO, we need to pick up the pace a bit on getting the Fords to the fleet. Having only 10 carriers requires spreading fleet assets a bit too thinly.
The next one, hopefully, christened Enterprise...
good point
I guess a complete overhaul probably costs more than building a new one