How many USS Enterprise aircraft carriers have there been and are still in service?

Thanks to “Star Trek,” the most famous ship in the U.S. Navy is probably the USS Enterprise. There’s a reason for that, and while the “Star Trek” franchise has been incredibly successful in spreading that name, there’s a lot of history in naming a ship Enterprise, and there have been several over the years. As of August 2024, three aircraft carriers have been named “Enterprise,” though none are currently in service.

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The first carrier to be named USS Enterprise entered active service in the Navy in 1938. That ship, designated CV-6, was a Yorktown-class carrier that served with distinction during World War II, and her service record speaks for itself. The USS Enterprise was the most decorated U.S. Navy ship of World War II, so she had a significant impact on American and world history.

The second carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN-65), was commissioned in 1961 and was the first U.S. aircraft carrier to be powered by nuclear reactors. That ship saw action in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam, among other major engagements. It sailed for more than 50 years before being decommissioned. The third carrier, to be named Enterprise, is still under construction. A total of eight U.S. Navy ships have borne the name Enterprise, dating back to the very first in 1775, a 70-ton sloop-of-war, although it was not American-built.

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The USS Enterprise (CV-6) was a Yorktown-class aircraft carrier. It was much smaller than its successors, weighing only 32,000 tons under full load. It was 908 feet long and could accommodate over 2,000 personnel. In terms of aircraft, Enterprise could carry 80 to 90 aircraft of various types, and was heavily armed with a variety of weapons systems, including dozens of .50 caliber machine guns, 20 mm cannons, anti-aircraft guns, and more.

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USS Enterprise served throughout World War II and was the only carrier of her class to survive. She took part in the Doolittle Raid, launching B-25 Mitchells in the first raid on Tokyo, Japan, following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Enterprise also took part in the Battle of Midway and saw several engagements during the Pacific Campaign, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

She later supported the Marines during the battles for Iwo Jima and Okinawa, making her one of the primary U.S. aircraft carriers operating in the Pacific during World War II. For her service during the conflict, the USS Enterprise was awarded an unprecedented 20 battle stars, three more than any other ship in the fleet. The Enterprise’s crew was also the first carrier to receive the Presidential Unit Citation, and she also received a Navy Unit Commendation after the war.

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The second carrier, Enterprise, was commissioned on November 25, 1961. It was the first carrier to be powered by nuclear reactors, setting the standard for all U.S. carriers to follow. Before entering combat operations, USS Enterprise (CV-65) participated in the Project Mercury program, tracking and recording the first U.S. space flight in orbit. It subsequently joined the fleet that blockaded Cuba from the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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The Enterprise was the first and only Enterprise-class carrier, and remains the longest Navy ship ever built. She was a staggering 1,123 feet long and weighed just over 94,000 tons fully loaded. Despite her impressive size, the Enterprise was a fast carrier capable of cruising speeds of 33.6 knots (38.7 mph), making her the fastest carrier the United States has ever operated.

The Enterprise served with distinction for decades, and when she was deactivated in December 2012, she was the third-oldest ship the Navy has ever operated, after the USS Pueblo and the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides). All told, the Enterprise served for more than 55 years, five years longer than the Navy expects to operate its supercarriers. It was also the USS Enterprise (CV-65) that inspired “Star Trek” showrunner Gene Roddenberry to change the name of his starship from Yorktown to Enterprise.

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Construction on the third aircraft carrier, to be named Enterprise, began in April 2022. It will be the ninth U.S. ship to be named Enterprise and the third aircraft carrier. Enterprise is the third Gerald R. Ford-class carrier built for the U.S. Navy, and while it was scheduled to launch in November 2025, that won’t happen. Delays in the production of materials and supply chain issues will keep it out of the ocean until at least 2030. When it finally sails, it will likely be the most advanced warship ever built.

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The Ford-class aircraft carriers are a class unmatched by any navy in the world. They are the largest class of warships ever built, weighing in at 100,000 tons at full load. The Enterprise will likely carry as many as 90 aircraft of various types, though it will likely favor the new F-35C Lightning II, the only fifth-generation carrier-capable fighter in service in the U.S.

When she is launched, the USS Enterprise (CVN-80) will bear a name that carries a great deal of honor. Every ship to bear the name Enterprise has served with distinction, and none have been lost to enemy action. For many Americans, even those unfamiliar with “Star Trek,” the name Enterprise commands respect, as it has served the United States well for over 240 years and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

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(Featured image by US Navy via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public domain)