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reactors and steam boilers can be replaced... the big E is as much a symbol for American military leadership and pride for the people as it is a mobile naval air platform delivering death to America’s enemies...

reactors and steam boilers can be replaced... the big E is as much a symbol for American military leadership and pride for the people as it is a mobile naval air platform delivering death to America’s enemies...

Yes, they can. But doing so with Enterprise would cost more than a brand new carrier.

You'd have to the hull of the ship into pieces to get the reactors out. You'd also have to take a heck of a lot of the piping associated with them. New reactors, and turbines, go in then rebuild the hull.

On top of that you'd then have to replace pretty much all the rest of the piping in the ship. And the electrical cabling. And the communications lines. Because it's all ancient and prone to failures.

I know there's a lot of sentimentality associated with the "Enterprise" name. But I know people who have actually served on her who tend to refer to her as "Ghettoprise" and "Enterprison". The last overhaul went massively over budget and schedule. And if you actually go on board her there's all sorts of equipment and fixtures that are labeled "RIP" in red. "RIP" stands for "Retired In Place". IOW, no longer operable, but incapable or at least uneconomical to actually remove.

Much better to preserve her as a museum** and give the name to a worthy successor. That would be CVN-80, now that CVN-79 will be John F. Kennedy. My fear tho is that they'll hang the name on one of the America-class LHAs ...)

(**which CAN be done, btw. The plan is to cut her apart at Newport News to get the reactors out, weld her back together and tow her around South America to scrapping at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. If she's sound and seaworthy enough for that kind of a tow, she should be ok to park somewhere as a museum.)

Forgot this one ...