Final answer:
3. USS Enterprise. The USS Enterprise (CVN-65) was the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1961, marking a significant moment in naval history.
Step-by-step explanation:
The world's first nuclear-powered carrier is the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). The USS Enterprise was not only the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier but also the longest naval vessel ever built at the time of its commissioning. Commissioned on November 25, 1961, the Enterprise served for over half a century before being officially inactivated in December 2012.
The other carriers listed, such as the USS Nimitz and USS Carl Vinson, followed later in the development of nuclear-powered naval vessels. The extensive use of nuclear power within the Navy began the era of nuclear-powered ships, changing naval warfare and strategy fundamentally.
The world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was the USS Enterprise, making option 3 the correct answer. The USS Enterprise (CVN-65) was commissioned in 1961 as the United States Navy's inaugural nuclear-powered carrier. Its nuclear propulsion, utilizing eight nuclear reactors, provided unparalleled endurance and operational capabilities.
The USS Nimitz (1) and USS Carl Vinson (2) followed as subsequent nuclear-powered carriers, and the USS Abraham Lincoln (4) is a Nimitz-class carrier. The USS Enterprise played a pioneering role in naval technology, setting the stage for the development of subsequent nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy.