The next USS Enterprise is being built using recycled steel from its legendary predecessor

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The ninth United States naval vessel to bear the name Enterprise is currently under construction. As the third Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, this supercarrier marks a technological shift as the first to be designed entirely through digital platforms, while physically incorporating history into its modern steel frame.

The USS Enterprise (CVN-80) represents a bridge between the storied past of the United States Navy and its digital future. Named by then-secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus in 2012, the vessel is the first American supercarrier since the 1966 USS America not to be named after a person. Its construction, managed by Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, began with a steel-cutting ceremony in August 2017. Notably, the ship is the first aircraft carrier to be designed and built exclusively using digital platforms, reflecting a significant evolution in naval engineering and manufacturing processes.

Physical continuity is maintained through the inclusion of materials from previous ships. Approximately 20,000 pounds of steel from the retired USS Enterprise (CVN-65) have already been salvaged for use in the new ship, with an additional 15,000 pounds planned for processing, totaling 35,000 pounds of recycled material. Furthermore, the ship will feature four portholes salvaged from the World War II-era CV-6, linking the new vessel to its namesake's long history. The ship's sponsors, Olympic gold medalists Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles, were present at the initial steel-cutting ceremony in 2017.

The path to completion has faced several scheduling adjustments. While the keel was laid ahead of schedule in April 2022, the project's timeline has shifted due to challenges in the supply chain. Initially expected for delivery in 2028, the date was pushed to July 2030 and subsequently delayed again in 2026 to March 2031. Once operational, the carrier is intended to replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, continuing the legacy of a name that has served the Navy across multiple generations of maritime technology.

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