Anna Forrester
The U.S. Navy is examining the potential of a contract competition to help the branch dispose of the nuclear-powered USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, Defense News reported Sunday.
Christopher Cavas writes that the Naval Sea Systems Command is considering the use of commercial services to dismantle the Enterprise due to potential capacity or cost limitations with the service’s current arrangement at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
Disposal of the carrier’s nuclear reactors and propulsion machinery would remain at Puget Sound and leave the rest of the work potentially open to commercial bidders.
Cavas lists Huntington Ingalls‘ Newport News Shipbuilding, International Shipbreaking, All Star Metals and Esco Marine as among the contractors that have shown interest in the project.
Newport News currently employs more than 1,000 workers that defuel and strip down the Enterprise at its shipyard in Virginia, Cavas writes.
Partnerships between the bidders are also possible, the report said.
