The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is the lead ship in the newest class of supercarriers for the United States Navy. Named after the 38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, this ship will enhance the legacy that redefined the way naval warfare and operational efficiency interacted with each other.
Construction of USS Gerald R. Ford started with a ceremonial steel cut on August 11, 2005, at Northrop Grumman’s Newport News Shipbuilding facilities in Virginia. The keel was laid on November 13, 2009, and the ship was christened on November 9, 2013, by Ford’s daughter, Susan Ford Bales. The ship was delivered to the Navy on May 31, 2017, after significant shipping milestones were achieved during the construction of the vessel, such as the completion of the flight deck in April 2013 and the placement of the last super lift in May 2013.
Many performance improvements take place in the USS Gerald R. Ford over its predecessors. With the AN/SPY-3 and AN/SPY-4 active electronically scanned array radars and the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, the carrier can launch 25% more aircraft per day than the Nimitz class with 25% fewer crewmembers. Added to those are other high-end technologies that project to save the Navy up to $4 billion in operating costs over the 50-year life of this ship. Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, called it “a technological marvel” that can deploy unmanned aircraft, joint strike fighters, and possibly even lasers.
Despite these enhancements, the USS Gerald R. Ford was not without its issues early in its development, with failures from major systems like EMALS, AAG, and weapons elevators during testing. By March 2018, though, the cost of construction had more than doubled, to reach $13.027 billion—over and above its development and procurement. However, the Navy’s strict testing program helped set everything right, and rounds of builders and acceptance trials took care of that in 2017.
The USS Gerald R. Ford undertook operational service together with the maiden deployment on October 4, 2022. During that time, the carrier engaged in operations and training along with NATO allies and partners across the Atlantic Ocean. Carrier Strike Group 12, along with Carrier Air Wing 8, USS Normandy, and other ships, showcased the capability of the vessel and the real desire of the Navy to cooperate with the rest of the world.
The U.S. and Ukrainian navies carried out Exercise Sea Breeze 2021 in the Black Sea region. The exercise director, Capt. Stuart Bauman mentioned the participating 30 countries, over 5,000 personnel, and 32 ships in this exercise. This exercise focused on high cooperation and integration between NATO and non-NATO members in a way that can improve combat readiness and interoperability.
Cmdr. John D. John with USS Ross said this exercise promotes interoperability and builds warfighting readiness in the Black Sea. He continued, “It has been proved that the participating nations can operate seamlessly together to achieve stability in the Black Sea region and deter aggression.”.
The USS Gerald R. Ford and exercises like Sea Breeze are representative of how the Navy maintains global maritime security in service of a larger safer international community. USS Gerald R. Ford is an example of the evolving fleet, a witness to the Navy on the cutting edge of technology, committed to operational excellence.