sailing off to history's scrap heap

原子力空母「エンタープライズ」が引退します。見出しから表現を拾っていきます。
scrap heapは「くず鉄の山」（『ジーニアス英和辞典　第４版』）で原子力空母が解体された後の姿を表しています。
しかし、history’s scrap heapとなっているところに注目です。scrap heapには「《略式》不要なものの集積場」(ibid)という意味もあり、核の抑止力（nuclear deterrent power）の象徴だった空母もその実力を発揮することはなく（良いことだったのですが）、結局は「歴史に名を残す鉄くずの山」へと航海（sailing off)をはじめてしまうのですね。(Minnesota)

USS Enterprise sailing off to history's scrap heap

Washington (CNN) -- The USS Enterprise is the nation's oldest active duty warship, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and a history-making symbol of America's naval might for half a century.

But it's now headed for the scrap heap.

Virtually all the weapons and ammunition has been off loaded. By the end of the week, it'll make its final return to its home port of Norfolk, Virginia. On Dec. 1, "The Big E" will be become officially inactive.

But one doesn't just take an aircraft carrier with eight nuclear reactors in its hold and park it somewhere. The Navy will spend three years and tens of millions of dollars removing the ship's radioactive fuel and reactors before cutting it into scrap.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/01/us/enterprise-scrap/index.html?iref=allsearch