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USS Enterprise Takes Its Final Voyage

westlake writes "The AP is reporting that the world's first nuclear powered aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Enterprise, is to be retired after fifty years of active service — the longest of any warship in U.S. naval history. Its final deployment will take it to the Middle East and last for seven months. The big ship has become notoriously difficult to keep in repair. As an old ship and the only one in its class, breakdowns have become frequent and replacement parts often have to be custom made. Despite its place in naval history and popular culture, Enterprise will meet its end at the scrap yard rather than being preserved at a museum. This is expected to happen in 2015, after the nuclear fuel has been removed."

18 of 455 comments (clear)

  1. Causality Failure... by Salgak1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    But how will Kirk and the crew save the Whales and get back to the 23rd Century without that "nuclear wessel"? (evil grin)

    1. Re:Causality Failure... by hawguy · · Score: 5, Funny

      But how will Kirk and the crew save the Whales and get back to the 23rd Century without that "nuclear wessel"? (evil grin)

      They went back in time to 1986, so retiring the ship now won't affect the whale recovery. Geeze, what are they teaching kids in school today? Apparently not Starfleet future history.

    2. Re:Causality Failure... by MorePower · · Score: 3, Funny

      He showed up during the Eugenics Wars, which didn't get much press coverage because they happened at the same time as the O.J. Simpson trial.

  2. Safety First! by Rotworm · · Score: 4, Funny

    The big ship has become notoriously difficult to keep in repair.

    For instance, the holodeck safety protocols continually go offline.

    1. Re:Safety First! by owlnation · · Score: 4, Funny

      When did the holodeck ever work as planned? I assume its software was designed by the great, great, great, great, great grandson of the guy who thought IE6 was a good idea.

      Seriously, no-one thought of sandboxing the holodeck? Even after the first 10 times the ship got pwned by it?

  3. Good show Big E. by phrackwulf · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's a lot of hard work and a huge number of sailors who have sheltered and lived in a small floating city. There's a new world coming though. Submersible carriers protecting the Atlantic Confederated States will be something to see once the Chinese realize they need somewhere to put all those new citizens looking for an exciting new life and a daily wage.

    --
    What would Richard Feynman do, if he were here right now? He'd do some math and he'd follow through!
  4. Re:That's odd by koan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wait... there's already a ""Enterprise false flag"" conspiracy theory?

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  5. Re:Not to take anything away from the Big E... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Isn't the Constitution a myth that got replaced by corporate money?

    Wow. Captcha is 'bribery'

  6. Re:That's odd by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's a false Enterprise false flag conspiracy theory.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  7. Custom made parts by damn_registrars · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aren't most parts for US Navy vessels custom made regardless? I don't recall seeing a section at WalMart for warship parts.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  8. Renovation Suggestion by NEDHead · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can't they just add a third nacelle and give it to some Admiral to use?

    1. Re:Renovation Suggestion by ehintz · · Score: 3, Funny

      Better yet, sell it to a fiber optic dude by the name of L. Bob Rife...

      --
      ehintz
  9. Re:That's odd by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    If the entire crew is wearing red shirts, I'd worry.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  10. Re:That's odd by ScuzzMonkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Considering how much talk there is of an enterprise false flag operation, if it was ever intended it probably won't happen because of all the talk about it."

    That's just what they want you to think!

    --
    No relation to Happy Monkey
  11. Re:That's odd by lennier · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...ahh, you're one of those who buys into the "Enterprise false flag" conspiracy theories?

    Bah, everyone knows it's the Reliant which is the real false flag.

    What's actually going to happen is that Admiral Greenert is going to "borrow" the Enterprise so he can take it to Genesis Island to retrieve the body of Admiral Rickover and reunite it with his katra, which is temporarily stored within the mind of ex-President George W Bush.

    --
    You are not a brain: http://books.google.com/books?id=2oV61CeDx-YC
  12. Re:Nuclear Powered Surface Ships of the World by bruce_the_loon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Chekov says "VOOOOSH"

    --
    Trying to become famous by taking photos. Visit my homepage please.
  13. Re:Story is wrong: by cold+fjord · · Score: 3, Funny

    I believe most people would agree that Austria and Switzerland have the most trustworthy admirals.

    --
    much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
  14. Re:Story is wrong: by koan · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or an Italian Captain.

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."