Today is the 50th anniversary of the USS Enterprise CVN-65, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Her first crucial role was in the Cuban Missile Crisis blockade, as part of the 2nd Fleet, in October 1962.
The CVN-65 is the eighth US ship to bear the Enterprise name, following the Yorktown-class aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, the most decorated naval vessel in the United States and one of the key ships in the Battle of Midway.
Still in active service, the Enterprise CVN-65 is 342m long, which makes it the longest navy ship in the world. However, overall its smaller than the 10 Nimitz-class supercarrier at 93,284 long tons.
This time line — made by Huntington Ingalls Industries, a defence company that builds and maintains nuclear and non-nuclear ships for the US Navy and Coast Guard — shows the evolution of all the Enterprises, from the 1775 original — captured by Colonel Benedit Arnold to the British — to the 2245 Federation ship. Gene Roddenberry decided to use the name Enterprise when he created the series in 1966, inspired the nuclear carrier that is now 50 years old. [Huntington Ingalls Industries]
Timmahh
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 9:50 AMDidn’t one, or all the captains of the various federation Enterprises have an updated version of this on their walls?
Tim
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 10:12 AMThey missed the Enterprise with the registry NX-01 which while we didnt see it until after NCC1701 it predates it so it should be on the timeline.
Steve
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 5:43 PMThis is just fan-wankery, they included all the Star Trek Enterprise ships as one and the most recognisable is the one from the Original Series. Otherwise, you’d have to include the Enterprise B, C, D, E etc.
deadnotsleeping
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 12:00 PMYour fan wankery, They included 3 different ships between 1775 – 1779 but couldn’t at least add in enterprise D??
Spock
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 8:56 PMThey purposely skipped Enterprise because it was the worst Star Trek.
Just This Guy ...
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 2:11 PMNERD ALERT
NERD ALERT.
WOOOOP WOOOP
Geez guys, it’s about factual,real life vessels.
The inclusion of a futuristic FICTIONAL one is just for levity.
In any case, the first series was the best. nyah nyah.
ozoneocean
Saturday, November 26, 2011 at 12:48 PMShe’s an ancient gal now considering her two mates in that photo are now mouldering derelicts. The yanks like to keep alive their old capital ships long past their useby date.
Fred
Sunday, November 27, 2011 at 7:05 PMShe might be past her prime and only having a year or so left in life, but the Enterprise is by far not past her “useby date.” The fact she remains a platform for deploying military might 50 years later despite all of the technological advances since then simply reinforces the might that such a ship really has. Just because something is old doesn’t mean you throw it away.
TSH
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 10:07 AMSo… the 50 year old warship stays maintained and equipped at great cost; but the 35 year old spaceship and its whole program cancelled despite costing a fraction of the amount to maintain (AFAIK – I could be wrong) while being an inspirational symbol for the nation and its allies.
*sigh*
olearymo
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 10:45 AMThe warship doesn’t have as much of a tendency to explode on reentry.
Mr Odd
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 2:43 PMI hope not. Why would it be in space in the first place ;)
olearymo
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 5:37 PMYou never know!