The U.S. Navy has awarded a $418.5 million contract to NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services to dismantle and recycle USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, after years of planning and legal challenges.
The retired carrier will be dismantled in Mobile, Alabama, where recyclable materials will be recovered and hazardous waste, including low-level radioactive material, will be safely packaged and transported to licensed disposal facilities.
The Navy expects the work to be completed by September 2030.
The project is the first commercial dismantling of a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and is expected to guide the Navy as more nuclear-powered carriers, including the Nimitz-class fleet, reach retirement.
NorthStar won the contract after the Navy reopened the bidding process following a legal challenge by HII ShipCycle. The company argued that a technical problem with the federal procurement system prevented it from submitting its final proposal before the deadline.
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims agreed the Navy
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