USS Enterprise: The Navy's First 'Super' Aircraft Carrier Was a Game Changer

Summary and Key Points: The USS Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, set a high standard for naval aviation. Commissioned in 1961, it was renowned for its impressive size, speed, and technological innovations, including the world's first shipboard phased-array radar.

-Despite early design sacrifices, it was later armed and became a crucial asset in various conflicts, from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the Vietnam War and beyond. Enterprise demonstrated the viability of nuclear power for carriers, conducting extensive operations globally.

-Decommissioned in 2012, its legacy will continue with the Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, CVN-80, also named Enterprise.

USS Enterprise: The Legacy of the First Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier
The first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ever built carries one of the most famous names in flattop history: Enterprise. Designed as the nucleus of a nuclear-powered task force that could travel indefinitely without fuel replenishment, the USS Enterprise set the standard for all U.S. aircraft carriers to the present day.