Oh so that's what a carrier with fast jets looks like!

[jonesey2k]

Well you need to leave them for a while before you cut them up. Not unless you want your workmen to glow in the dark

[Garry Russell]

yeah ...several thousand years

[SkippyBing]

The problem with taking the Enterprise or any of the Nimitz class boats is that you'd need ~1/6th of the RN's manpower to crew the thing. The QE class have been designed to run with a crew of 600 because there's lots of automation etc. and it's designed in, I don't think you could retrospectively lean man a CVN!

Incidentally speaking to an ex-submariner mate, he said that the hulls of the old submarines in Rosyth and Plymouth are classified as low level nuclear waste, hence the disposal problem, the reactors themselves aren't the problem.

[Paul K]

The problem with taking the Enterprise or any of the Nimitz class boats is that you'd need ~1/6th of the RN's manpower to crew the thing. The QE class have been designed to run with a crew of 600 because there's lots of automation etc. and it's designed in, I don't think you could retrospectively lean man a CVN!

Hmmm...yep, you're right - the required manning levels didn't occur to me.

[Chris Trott]

Well, if we gave you the Enterprise, you'd keep the reactors and you'd use them (I'd hope). Incidentally, they're actually submarine reactors, so they're planned to be disposed of in the same was submarine ones are - by burying them after defueling.

As it is, sadly, Enterprise will be one of the first US Navy Ships not to be available as a museum after decomissioning as the decontamination process will result in too much of the structure being compromised. It's unfortunate that the first nuclear-powered carrier will also be the first not to be able to be kept as a museum. Sadly, it also means that most likely none of the Nimitz-class carriers will ever become museums either.

[AndyG]

USS George H. W Bush, just to save people googling CVN 77

Pretty damned impressive too, even without Tomcats.

They'll be naming one after his son one day; but it will only ever be based in Texas!

[Paul K]

They'll be naming one after his son one day; but it will only ever be based in Texas!

I wouldn't name a rowing boat after that dolt.

[airboatr]

you just insulted the word dolt.

[FlyTexas]

you just insulted the word dolt.

What???

[airboatr]

By either account, it's my story and I'm sticking to it.