Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carrier (2013)

Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carriers (2009- ongoing)
In service: USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), Enterprise (CVN-80), Doris Miller (CVN-81), William J. Clinton (CVN-82), George W. Bush (CVN-83).

Xmas Special ! Without much subject left worthy of such date, after the amazing Seawolf class SSNs here is a class that is likely not to be cancelled: The Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carrier. “Too big to fail” would be a good start to describe it, as these must replace all ten Nimitz class aircraft carrier in USN inventory, all being the center of powerful carrier strike groups that literrally rules the seven seas, the current backbone of the Navy alongside the Arleigh Burke…

Foreworld: A new platform… for the USN naval strategy

CVN-78 underway on 8 April 2017

It was time… The Nimitz class carrier, despite being an improvement over the USS Enteprise (to be replaced herself by USS Gerald R. Ford) while crossing aspects from the last conventional carrier, the original John F. Kennedy, goes all the way back to 1965 with the first laid down in 1968 when the Vietnam war was as its peak. Albeit the Nimitz class was a rock-solid design that was improved over the years and led to a record ten carriers built over the years, with refuelling, modernization and overhauls, the first ships of the late 1970s and 1980s went on to have 50-years careers. Amazingly, construction kept shipyards busy for decades, with the CVN-77 USS George H. W. Bush being the last ever started in 2003, commissioned in 2009 and likely to remain operational until at least 2049.

One reason why service life was extended that much, rather than starting a new platform, let say in the 1990s, was the decommission cost. Indeed, after reaching 50 years of service, the Nimitz class needs to be decommissioned, and this process is estimated to cost from $750 to $900 million. This compares with an estimated $53 million for a conventionally powered carrier. The main reason is the special care to decomission the nuclear power plants and safe removal of all radioactive material and contaminated equipment.

Both the need to replace the earlier Nimitz class ships of the 1970-80s and the need to keep the only carrier specialist in the Americas busy, yesterday Newport News Shipbuilding, now Northrop Grumman Newport News, urged a new construction planned for the 2000s. But what ship ? Another improved repeat of the Nimitz class or a brand new platform ? Since the core design of the Nimitz, despite its adptability to upgrades went back to another time, a new platform seemed obvious. It enabled the closure the Nimitz class to a symbolic ten ship.

And this process of designing a new platform started way before the first plate was laid down. In fact, work started way before even CVN-77 construction evern started. If the general specifications of the new carrier was not going to be outwarly different (around 330-340 meters long, 100,000 tonnes, nuclear-powered CATOBAR), the devil was in the details. The challenges and new threats of the post-cold war world looked very different than the 1970s. It was agreed that managing an air group of 100 aircraft was not realistic, and the decades of experience with air groups led to an “ideal format” that was just repeated, albeit studied about drones were ongoing in the 2000s.

Development

Gerald Ford in the Atlantic, October 2022

The new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) replacing USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world’s first aicraft carrier, class head but cancelled as too costly (which led to the cheaper Nimitz) had a hull similar to the Nimitz class overall, but a set of new technologies developed with the CVN(X)/CVN-21 program were incoeporated such as the famous Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and many other design features for better efficiency and cost reduction, wiuth a lot of automation in order to reduce crews.

About the CVN-21 program

comparison carriers

The Nimitz-class which design was a reaction to the immense cost of the USS Enterprise CVN-65 (three more were initially planned and later cancelled) led to an up-scaling of the excellent conventional design, the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), a sub-variant of the Kitty Hawk class of 1956. Kennedy was launched in 1967 and the idea of just fitting a nuclear reactor in it and go from there was basically the start of the next Nimitz class when it was decided to go all-nuclear for the new generation of USN supercarriers. This proved a wise decision, despite of the cost. The Nimits had been invaluable in US naval service as the bedrock of its power projection strategy since 1975. A 100,000 tons fully loaded, 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) and 90 days autonomy based on the crew, it proved a great endurance as shown by USS Theodore Roosevelt spending 159 days in Operation Enduring Freedom without visiting a port or being refueled.

The Nimitz class design was uodated with plenty of new technologies over decades, but reach a limit in upgrades, notably due to its original powerplant. The most recent technical advances requires always new extra power. A 2005 RAND report told Congress and the Navy that

“The biggest problems facing the Nimitz class are the limited electrical power generation capability and the upgrade-driven increase in ship weight and erosion of the center-of-gravity margin needed to maintain ship stability.”

The end of the cold war did not stopped carrier construction. Four of the nimitz class would still be ordered and laid down indeed, CVN-75 (Stennis laid down 1991), Truman CVN-75 (laid down 1993), Reagan CVN-76 (1998) and even in the 2000s with USS Bush CVN-77 (2003). The last two were of the improved Reagan sub-class to stay relevant whereas the Navy was perfectly aware in the 1990s that soon or later a replacement class would bee needed. Rapid technological changes in many areas in the 2000s and the RAND report made clear that the design had reach the limit of its usefulness for upgrades.

A brand new basis was needed. Construction, when the program started, of two more Nimitz class ongoing or planned left some time for a long R&D and development program in order to lay down the new prospective carrier around 2006, the planned launched for CVN-77. It was vital to protect all-precious worker’s skills at Newport News Shipbuilding, not only before the Congress, but to preserve this unique capability to produce supercarriers. So far, despite some contrary voices and the dividends of peace, there was no plan to renounce supercarriers and that projection capacity. Some asked indeed to decommission USS Nimitz (initially for 2025) sooner than expected and two more, then fund extra overhauls to maintain the most recent past 2040.

The Navy in 1998 needed a brand new innovative platform supposed to help in air warfare what the USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) did for the Surface Development Squadron. CVN-68 deadline for replacement was for 2025 so an opportunity presented itself to present the Congress with a truly new ships and find a program. It was even believed Nimitz could be overhauled again massively in 2025 and transformed into a brand new experimental carrier called the CVN(X) program.

The US Navy developed the CVN-21 program, later known as the CVN-78, and the name Gerald R. Ford was chosen for the lead ship. Developing technologies along the way, as well as everything rigged for a more efficient design turned the program into a major improvement overall. There was to be a larger flight deck, better weapons, faster material handling, a new propulsion plant with greater autmation and much more power, as well as a new and smaller island pushed aft to reduce turbulence and improve deck operations. The Electromagnetic field, already a hot topic in R&D to develop electric cannons such as those planned for the Zumwalt, led to the development of an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) as well as an Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), also with electromagnetic assistance. The ship was also designed around a brand new integrated warfare system program called the “Ship Self-Defense System” or SSDS developed to bounced around instantly on multi-mission tasks.

The new Dual Band Radar (DBR) is also a combo of S-band and X-band radar with a fixed array for no dead spots and very long range.
The CVN-21 proram was thus planned in the optic of launching 25% more sorties than a Nimitz class, but for all its system, and requiring a margin for power needs of half a century, they had a new generation reactors able to generate together no less than triple the electrical power with improved efficiency. A reduce crew also was intended to improve crew quality-of-life on board and personal retention in the Navy, one of the thoughest job for a pay that was not that competitive depending on the speciality on the civilian market.

However all this resulted in a higher cost for the first ship and R&D as expected. The USS Ford cost is so far US$37.30 billion FY2018 for the whole program with an unit cost of US$12.998 billion also FY2018 compared to US$11.4 billion in 2024 for a Nimitz class. It was $451.3 million for USS Enterprise back in the days. Yet, the unit cost is supposed to dwindle down for future units, AND the global operating, crew, maintenance, and upgrade costs to be much lower than for a Nimitz class.

A CVN(X) program

G. Ford island is matched to the deck

The first was the predecessor of the CVN-21. It was proposed FY2003 for defense budget requests at 243.7 million in advanced procurement funding, to procure in FY2007. The package included additional research and development funding and evolutions in design by introducing new technologies pioneered by CVN-77 procured in FY2001. This planned CVNX-1, and CVNX-2 FY2011. The first was to cost 2.54 billion to develo, 7.48 billion to procure, for a total at the time of 10.02 billion with CVNX-2 estimated 1.29 billion to develop, 7.49 billion to procure and total 8.78 billion (src LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE).

Much later as the program was already in full swing CNO (Chief of Naval Operations) Admiral John Richardson in office (2015) wroted in “Maintaining Maritime Superiority” V2 that the Navy needed to prepare for conflict with near-peer competitors in contested environments and he indeed made several trips to China to reduce tension between the US and Chinese military over naval operations in the South China Sea. He was succeeded on 22 August 2019 by Admiral Michael M. Gilday. As wrote indeed in Proceedings in August 2019 by Lt. Douglas Cantwell USN, “The Navy needs an airpower platform to innovate, integrate, and test technology and tactics before the next great power conflict. It should overhaul the Nimitz (CVN-68) as an experimental aircraft carrier prior to her scheduled decommissioning”. That would be an interesting case, and indeed Nimitz is still operational, with a decommission pushed to 2026. Her Ship Terminal Off-load Program (STOP) and inactivation was scheduled to begin in 2027.

Cantwell argues that even if the powerplant is tired and general systems of Nimitz are dated and overhauls reached theeir limits, the hull itself would be still useful to live testing many new systems. In the “carriers are modern battleships” narrative, a testbed Nimitz would help improving air defence against new threats like drones, ballistic or hyperfast cruise missiles, or to operate herself as the first dedicated USN drone-carrier (none are planned so far). Canwtell also argued how battleships themselves were reactivated by Reagan in the 1980s and proved their usefulness for some time (albeit in that case it had many detractors) as proposed already by Charles Myers Jr. in November 1979 Proceedings. The final point of use for the CVN(X) would be to learn how to retrofit CVNs during the early stages of a conflict. A simple comparison between the cost of decommissioning Nimitz and cost to maintain the hull available for such overhauls and test remains as of 2025 valid, albeit decision was taken and seems not to bulge.

Construction

JFK carrier bow
Construction of the JFK, the bow is to be united with the prow block.

So far ten are planned. USS Gerald R. Ford was authorized by the Congress FY2008 and Awarded on 10 September 2008 to Newport News Shipbuilding, the world only specialist of supercarriers on the East Coast (Virginia). The sole US yard with the ability of refuel the core of these carriers and perform complex overhauls. The Yard had been geared up for improved construction speed in order to deliver the next carriers over reduced time, with USS Kennedy still expected to last for twelve years, Ford herself requiring eight years. The main reason was that the Yard is currently in full work and reconfigurations, and many changes are currently made on Kennedy based on what was discovered during the construction and early operation of the lead ship.

Planned construction time are indeed back to eight years USS Enterprise (CVN-80) seven years for Doris Miller (CVN-81), but ten years for Clinton (CVN-82) so far. The latter is indeed planned to be a sub-class with many more improvements and changes. So by 2036, five of these Ford are planned to be in service, the remainder being Nimitz class ships. USS Georges W. Bush (CVN-83) had not been planned yet. If a war erupts in the South China Sea as many analysts fears, that means Kennedy would not be rushed into completion as she is already planned for a commission in March, with training probably starting sooner. It is likely thus pnly two Ford class will be operational by then.

Design of the class

gerald ford in drydock completion
In drydock completion, 2013.

The most visible difference from the Nimitz class is the smaller island relocated much further aft. All other aspects are not visible. The Gerald R. Ford-class key aspect for example was its planned reduced overall maintenance and global cost due a much reduced crew. This also benefits the latter by having more generous living space, as well as the air crew, which is also likely to be downsized on the long run with the arrival of numerous UCAVs. However it was presented as such to the Congress, wirth the new EMALS able to sustain on paper 160 sorties per day for a mpnth with an optional surge capability of 270 daily sorties. This was tones down by the director of Operational Testing, Michael Gilmore which states the assumptions were unrealistic at best, and that apart the EMALS there was no significant change to improve the sortie rates that he saw down to 120/240 per day like a Nimitz class provided even the crew was finely trained.

3D Modelling

The Ford uses for the first time a new type of 3D computer-aided design at Newport News Shipbuilding. The carrier indeed has a full-scale three-dimensional product model, developed in Dassault Systèmes CATIA V5 to plan her and future carriers. What means is that any chief engineer on the yard and even worker supervisors can at any time refer to any part of the ship in detail and add notes or see what was noted at upper level and modify a day’s job on the fly. The presence of an always updated, interactive (with various level of privileges) 3D model exact to the finer detail at all times enables considerable time savings as the old practice was to refer to plans stored in a central room with a board noting all events and planning during construction. Now it’s fully digitized. Some workers even are equipped with augmented reality googles not only to take advantages of the 3D model, but also to see immediately ongoing processes related to any part, future renditions, and of all matters of procedures related to each element with direct feedback to and from upper echelons, and use of big data.

Hull and general design

The Gerald R. Ford class displaces about 100,000 long tons at full load, a symbolic number which is official but the real figure is close if not known exactly. As any new design it is likely to be above that figure.
The Ford measures 1,092 ft (333 m) at the waterline and is extended to 1,106 ft (337 m) overall at deck level. This is still a few meters short of the granddaddy of them all, USS Enterprise, at 342 m or 1,123 ft albeit on a lighter hull. In Beam, the Ford is a bit wider thanks to new structural solutions for the sponsons and extentions at 256 ft (78 m) for the flight deck (versus 257.2 ft (78.4 m) on Enteprise and 252 ft (76.8 m) on the Nimitz). At the waterline it’s back to 134 ft (41 m), a bit more than the Nimitz at 134 ft (40.8 m), or USS Enterprise (132.8 ft (40.5 m). This superior beam coiupled with better designed counter-keels and a system of active stabilization further reduce the roll, enabling deck operations in gale force winds, short of an Asian typhoon. See a nice 5 views rendition on facebook.

In height, from the keel to the top of the mast, USS Ford is 250 feet (76 m) tall, with a draft of 39 ft (12 m) (Nimitz 37 ft (11.3 m)), much like USS Enteprise. The Ford contains a total of 25 decks from the keel level to the last island deck. If the great lines of the accomodations were kept, the EMALS enabled to dispense of heavy hydraulic gear and steam piping making the under main flight deck section cleaner and freeer. The hull was built the same way as the last Nimitz, modular, with separately built blocks that were later joined and welded together. The island was it’s own block; lifted and put in place using the giant drydock gantry. Blocks were built in a hangar at first and moved on specially tailored electric multi-wheel chassis, a method adopted in almost all modern shipyards today.
island marriage

The island “marriage” with the main hull is during contruction a special occasion reserved for VIPs, as it is close to launch. This further aft placement was initially to make more space in the middle of the flight deck for centralized refueling/rearming of aircraft. The space behind the island until then had been anway an awkward space, with an elevator practically never used due to having to cross the entire landing strip to move planes forward. Back aft starboard side was after many comptuter simulated deck operation trials, the best possible place. The French, which need to replace the Charles de Gaulle in 2030, also adopted that configuration for their much larger PANG.

If the general deck design remained the same as the placement of lifts (see later) the island design was the most remarkably different as shown in this photo from tw.com Not only it was way further back, practically opposite at the height of the aft starboard lift, but it was twice as shorter but one deck taller. The four bridges, at the same height as before, are also arranged the same way, with a navigation, admiral, and deck operation bridges. But there is now a taller structure above the roof supporting new arrays under domes, and a thicker flat-faceted funnel. The peculiarity is that the massive fixed array 3D radar is now part of the sloped faces of the bridge, with four array blocks facing either side aft and one forward. The main mast supports one extra array and is taller and stockier compared to a late Nimitz class (Reagan sub-class).

Advanced Arresting Gear

The Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) was developed by General Atomics for the USS Gerald R. Ford-class, deployed in 2017 to replace the MK 7 hydraulic arresting gear of the Nimitz-class. It is designed to be more flexible, be used for a broader range of aircraft such UAVs ahd have better automation, and easier maintenance. The key is a set of Rotary engines with simple energy-absorbing water turbines, coupled to a large induction motor for finer arresting control. From March 31, 2016, the GA-EMS was tested on a F/A-18E Super Hornet on land at the Runway Arrested Landing Site (RALS) of Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst in New Jersey. 1,200 inert load arrestments followed before certification.

But testing was delayed due to a serious issue with the water twisters from 2012. The was an underestimation of the forces inside the water twister due to improper calculations of the three-dimensional flow field with weak internal plates. By 2016 the AAG remained unproven. The issue was eventually solved. On 28 July 2017 VX-23 performed the first arrested landing and catapult launch from Gerald R. Ford on an F/A-18F Super Hornet and by August 2, 2019 it was certifified. Others are to be procured for subsequent carriers of the class.

Automation

It is supposed to shelve several hundred in the crew compared to a Nimitz-class. Details are had to find, despite the fact it’s not confidential. Most sources pointed out in particular the greater automationb of the nuclear reactors first due to safety issues, and second because of far better captors and detectors. Better automation in armement, better data fusion for the CCS operators enabling more data to be exploited on less screens, or IA enhanced selection of data that simplifies over information.

Sole policiticians raised however the question that if automation reduces indeed operational costs, it raises questions about job security and the human element in military operations. It also made maintenance mre intensive as lesser personal is available for it. That’s the debate made around main battle tanks in the army over the advantages of an autoloader to reduce the crew to just three instead of four or on a fighter-bomber with enough AI-digested and prioritized data to enable a single pilot to handle all missions.

Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS)

emals
Scheme of the EMALS (wiki cc)

A key aspect of the original program, it’s replacing traditional steam catapults for launching aircraft. The idea was already floating around in the late 1990s, as the concept presented many advantages, but it could not be retrofitted on the Nimitz class, given their original power generation, not sufficient. It uses a linear induction motor rather than the steam piston, accelerates aircraft more smoothly (less stress on airframes) and weighs less, with less maintenance, more automation, capable of dosing strenght to launcht lighter aircraft and UCAVs and needs less water desalination. The eletric drive of the system was supposed to present numerous advantages, not least more power flexibility and added safety compared to steam, including mor flexible dosage and faster use in order to improve aircraft sorties, on all four positions, the same as for the Nimitz, to forward, two aft starboard on the angle deck.

Stealth features

The general design was also revised to rework new shapes and overall reduce radar cross-section. Still a challenge with a ship that large, everywhere radar waves could be bounced off, shaped were sloped and slanted. The smaller island is also part of the process overall, but the hull shape was the most difficult to rework given its utilitarian shape. Only the reshaped sponsons are the most solid part of the mix.

Powerplant: A1B reactor

This new nuclear reactor design was tailored for greater power generation than any previous PWR in the Navy, in order to power all installed systems plus the EMALS while keeping margins for future upgrades, notably direct energy defence systems. As the Navy was planning requirements for the CV(X) and later CV-21 program, they knew the A4W reactors of the Nimitz-class offered little power for planned and anticipated hipboard needs, starting with the magnetic catapult and lifts. It was decided to commission a new reactor design from Bechtel Corp. already the provider of all land-based nuclear plants in the United States. It was considered instead more efficient, adaptable, smaller, and lighter than the old A4W design. It also has improved operator interfaces. The former reactor back in the sixties was the product of the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, manufactured by Westinghouse. Decades later technology advances made Bechtel the best offer.

Susan Ford with a propeller of USS Gerald R. Ford in drydock in 2013.

The estimated thermal power output of each A1B is c700 MWth, 25% more than the A4W, with improved efficiency by being smaller, more compact and far more automated. The total output is supposed to be 125 megawatts (168,000 hp) per reactor, providing 350,000 shaft horsepower (260 MW) while connecting the four propeller shafts. This power was passed onto the four 30-ton, 21 ft (6.4 m)-diameter bronze propellers that were installed on 3 October 2013, with 10 months to install the underwater shafting.

Apart the propulsion, which does not requiored much more energy than a Nimitz class as the speeds requirements are about the same, the extra electrical generation capacity however enabled to eliminate completely service steam on the ship, reducing staffing requirements for maintenance and improving safety. Electromagnetic aircraft catapults (EMALS) are the most beneficiary of this system, but also the lifts, both main ones and ammunition ones, and all sensors on board, with a much larger computing power compared to a Nimitz class. Overall, it is not onlmy for the acutal integrated warfare system, but also for the future: Engineers ensured to integrate unforeseen technological advances in order to be part of the fleet for 90 years, until 2105, so tech advances over decades. Thus as of today only half of the electric power generation capacity is used.

Accomodations

The automation on one hand reduce crew workload and in the end, allows the new Ford-class to house 2,600 sailors, that is 700 less than a Nimitz-class carrier. Comfort also is on the rise, and instead of the 1960s style 180-man berthing areas of the Nimitz the men now sleeps on stagerred bunks in smaller 40-rack berthing areas, making for reduced noise. Officers of course are berthed in even lesser size cabins, down to six of four, and the CO (captain), XO (Executive Officer) and other top brass sleeps in individual cabins. Smaller berthings are quieter, but in addition there are now enough to put an end to the old “hot racking”. All have now their private, individual berth.

The layout requires less foot traffic through other spaces with racks however still stacked three high, and there is a locker space per person. There are no “sit-up” racks with more headroom however as the bottom and middle racks only accommodate a sailor lying down. Each berthing however comes with its own head, showers, vacuum-powered septic-system toilets. As the design proceedd women had entered the navy since a long while. It was at some point discussed about making separated berthing areas, but for more flexibility it was decided to make them all gender-neutral. WiFi lounges are located across passageway in separate spaces also for back home communication or just some privacy.

Once deployed however, both the Ford and JFK reported issues with their plumbing and waste system. Pipes proved too narrow to handle user’s waste and the vacuum failed, which led to repeatedly clogged toilets leading to jokes aplenty. Since it was to late to redo the piping, specialized acidic cleaning solutions were used to flush out the sewage system but at a cost about $400,000 each time, making for an abrupt unplanned cost increase on the lifetime of these ships, at least all the way to a first major overhaul. It seems initial planning just repeated the basic design of the Nimitz class waste piping to cut corners and time, not adapted to modern mixed gender human waste. By the way, Waste management tech. was co-developed with the Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center at PyroGenesis Canada Inc. back in 2008. The general waste destruction is to be disposed of by a Plasma Arc Waste Destruction System (PAWDS). All combustible solid waste generated on board are to be burned to a crisp. Testing went on in Montreal, and it was installed back in late 2011.

Medical facilities are another innovation, this time positive, of the Gerald R. Ford. The on-board hospital is top notch, including a full laboratory, pharmacy, operating room as well as a 3-bed intensive care unit, 2-bed emergency room, and 41-bed hospital ward. There are 11 medical officers and 30 hospital corpsmen associated. Only the latest assault ships (like the America class) has similar facilities.

Protection

Passive

CVN-78 schock trials

So far it’s classified, as little info had filtered on its detail. Like the late Nimitz class, the Ford are tailored for extreme resilience. Taking the late Reagan class as a reference, armour protection should comprise three protected decks, respectively flight, hangar and lower deck (the hangar floor essentially) with layers of composites and steel, proofing the powerplant. The vertical armour consists of side armour and longitudinal bulkheads. Also there is a box protection forf magazines and vital zones. Underwater protection comprises 5 longitudinal bulkheads (with the 4th bulkhead being 3 inches (76mm) thick). The double bottom also is better protected against undhull detonation, the preferred torpedo explosion method. Vital spaces now have 2.5 inches (63mm) Kevlar protection. Let’s cite the CCS among others. USS Ford was tested against underwater detonations to test its relisience after a final explosive trial on 8 August 2021.

Other protection measures includes the usual fireproof curtrains that divides the hangar, sprinflers, halon automatic fire extinguishers, aviation fuel lines protection (like gas detectors and automatic venting, replacing it by seawater along consumption…). Aside fire, the crew is also fully NBC protected with an automatic external washer of the hull, deck, even island, fully sealed external accesses, hangar lift door air-tight curtains, internal air conditioning with slight overpressure.

Active

Aside the armament which is mostly geared for self-protection, the ship receives the usual electronic warfare (EW), decoy and chaff combo. Here is the detail of all systems, of defence and coordination.

SLQ-32(v)4 AW suite

Part of the SLQ-32 series of electronic warfare (EW) systems it is doublingas as a Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system to detect, identify, and counters radar threats with Enhanced Threat Detection, a wideband detection of radar signals, improved sensitivity and frequency coverage compared to earlier variants and an Electronic Attack Capability with SEWIP (Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program) for jamming capabilities and supporting soft-kill countermeasures (decoys, jammers). It uses advanced antennas and receivers and includes multiple processors for signal analysis and threat prioritization.
The (V)4 upgrade over the (V)3 combined threat detection with electronic attack capability for better real-time threat response.

SLQ-20B ECM suite:

Two are procured, installed on the island. The Seesaw Electronic Warfare System is first an IFF, distinguishing friend from foe for weapons uses, but also it is jam resistant for battle group air defense management/air traffic control. Information is received from several sensors, from cooperative and non-cooperative systems and comprises Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) and integration techniques. It was introduced in 1997.

Mk 36 SRBOC:

The ship comprises also no less than eight Mk 36 SRBOC decoy rocket launchers. Two are in the island and the remainder six coering all angles of the deck forward and aft, one set each forward and aft, two amidship. The Mk 36 SRBOC (Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Chaff) launches expendable decoys, either chaff and infrared flares away from the ship to confuse or seduce radar-homing missiles as well as degrade enemy target tracking and fire control and increase ship survivability without using hard-kill weapons. They are optionally automatic or operator-controlled and of the Mk 138 six-barrel launcher as a soft-kill system working alongside the ESSM and CIWS.

SLX-1 anti-torpedo system:

Successor of the Nixie, it’s considered a legacy system likely to be replaced. This soft-kill torpedo countermeasure launches expendable acoustic decoys into the water, analogue to SRBOC, but focused on torpedo threats. It emits acoustic signatures that mimic or overwhelm the ship’s noise, so acoustic deception, integrated with ship sonar system. Likely to be replaced by the Hard-kill ATDs interceptor concept that physically destroy torpedoes.
It’s unknown oif the Nixie towed decoy offers continuous protection.

CEC USG-2:

This system, the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) system using the USG-2 cooperative engagement processor is a networked sensor-fusion system that allows multiple ships and aircraft to share raw, fire-control–quality sensor data in real time. Instead of each platform fighting its own battle, the force fights as one integrated air-defense system. Processes and fuses radar tracks from multiple platforms into a single, composite track picture
It enables engage-on-remote capability with one ship firing using another platform’s radar data, composite tracking with improved detection of low-altitude, fast, or stealthy targets and extends the defended area beyond a single ship’s radar horizon, while providing resilience against jamming and sensor degradation. The network includes the CSG escorts, Aegis surface combatants of the Arleigh Burke class, the on-board E-2C/D Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft and Allied ships equipped with CEC-compatible systems with Link-16 and Link-11 while sharing raw sensor data, not just tracks, feeding these to the SM-2, SM-6, ESSM. Likely to be upgraded soon as the USG-3/USG-3B) for improved processing power, scalability and reliability.

SSDS Mk 2:

The Ship Self-Defense System, Mark 2 is a combat system designed to provide integrated self-defense, automatically integrates sensors, weapons, and electronic warfare systems to defend a ship against anti-ship cruise missiles,
Aircraft, Asymmetric surface threats to a degree and focusing to close-in and self-defense, not area air defense with sensor fusion, combining radar, ESM, and other inputs into a single tactical picture for automated threat evaluation & weapon assignment (TEWA) and coordinated employment of soft-kill and hard-kill defenses, high reaction speed for saturation attacks, controlling both the CIWS (Phalanx) and Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM), the Mk 36 SRBOC (chaff/IR decoys) and Nulka if fitted.

ICDS:

The Integrated Combat Direction System is the onboard combat management and command-and-control system developed to integrate sensors, weapons, and command functions, providing a centralized tactical picture and engagement coordination capability, enabling ships to detect, track, and evaluate air and surface threats, coordinate self-defense and local-area defense, integrate weapons, sensors, and external tactical data and operate effectively as part of a networked naval force. Part of the CCS it’s coordinating the while CSG area defence against all threats, the combat “brain” on the Ford class which lacks Aegis.

JDTS:

The JDTS (Joint Deployable Tactical System) is a USN/joint command-and-control C2 system designed to provide a rapidly deployable, scalable tactical command capability for joint and maritime operations afloat or expeditionary ashore. It provided the CCS a common operational picture (COP) with Command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) integration ideal for task force and strike group management both for the USN and allies.
It’s core is multi-source data fusion (air, surface, subsurface tracks), tactical data links (e.g., Link-11, Link-16, satellite comms) with planning and decision-support tools and collaborative C2 for joint/coalition operations.

POST:

The Portable Operational Support Terminal and “Planning/Operational Support Terminal” is the deployable command-and-control (C2) workstation, a portable laptop or rack-based tactical terminal used to provide the same Common Operational Picture (COP), monitor air, surface, and subsurface tracks and interface with tactical data links, provided Support planning, briefing, and execution as a backup of the above systems.

CVIC:

The CVIC (Carrier Intelligence Center) is the shipboard intelligence processing and analysis center deep into the hull of the Ford like the CIC and protected by kelvar armour, plus inside a faraday cage to avoid electromagnetic interference and attacks. This critical support and decision-making hub integrates all available intel for carrier operations. Its is dedicated to the Ford and improved compared to similar systems deployed on the Nimitz class.
Throiugh a serie of screens, including large ones covering the walls, it provides real-time tactical intelligence to the Carrier Strike Group (CSG), processes information from multiple sources: signals intelligence (SIGINT), imagery (IMINT), electronic intelligence (ELINT), and open-source intelligence, supports mission planning, targeting, and threat assessment. It interprets data from ship sensors, aircraft (e.g., E-2D Hawkeye, F/A-18), and other intelligence networks, now assisted further by AI, so in the future the number of operators is likely to go down. It provides strike planning and air wing operations and evaluates air, surface, and subsurface threats in real time, disseminates intelligence with the combat information center (CIC) and with the Carrier Strike Group staff and allied units. It is staffed by intelligence specialists (IS), cryptologic technicians (CT), and officers
and organized into divisions, the SIGINT, IMINT, GEOINT, and operational analysis, Working with the CIC (Combat Information Center) for real-time tactical decision support.

Armament

It includes a variant of what the late Nimitz class carried: Two Mk 29 Guided Missile Launching Systems with eight RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) each, as well as two Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching Systems with 21 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles each. The gunnery is light, with three trusted and proven Phalanx CIWS, four RWS Mk 38 25 mm Machine Gun Systems to deal with asymetric threat and possibly last mile targets, as well as four M2 .50 cal. (12.7 mm) machine guns, the good old “Deuce” in service since 1920, also against asymetric targets, and now drones. The crew on its own still has restricted access to personal weapons. A number of M9 service pistol (30 to 100) for some duties and official ceremonies are distributed to some officers, security teams and flight deck supervisors and watchstanders. But the main arsenal is made of the Navy variant service M16, M4/M6 and M4A1, several dozens, and up to 60 for boarding teams and security forces on board. This is in addition to the usual armament of added special boarding forces when present for some sea policing missions. The ship’s arsenal is also supposed to contain up to a dozen 12-gauge shotguns for the security team and MARDET or Board teams shen assigned, as well as non-lethal equipments, OC and baton launchers for law enforcement on board.

RIM-162D/G) Evolved SeaSparrow Missile.

The RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) is a development of the legacy RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile guiarding the ship at short range (27 nmi+ or 50 km+) from attacking missiles and aircraft, and the ESS was modified to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. Instead of the quad Mark 41 Vertical Launch System it is in a classic rotating and elevating Mk 29 box launcher two-arms mount located on the port forward and starboard aft sponsons. The ESS is a 1.8 million apiece ordnance, weighting 620 lb (280 kg) for 12 ft (3.66 m) long and 10 in (254 mm) in diameter, carrying a 86 lb (39 kg) blast-fragmentation warhead detonated by proximity fuze. Powered by the Mk 134 Mod 0 solid fuel rocket it could reach Mach 4+ guided by Mid-course update datalink and dual semi-active/active radar homing (Block 2).

RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile

A missile complement to the traditional gun-based CIWS with a longer reach, covering an intermediate bubble between the Sea Sparrow and 30mm CIWS/25mm RWS is the RIM-116. The Rolling Airframe Missiles are carried in a 21-strong configuration in the Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS). The Mk-144 Guided Missile Launcher weighs 5,7 tons (12,736 lb) but cannot employ its own sensors prior to firing and thus is fully integrated with the ship own combat system for direction. It is in service from 1992. Unit cost was on average 900.000 million back in 2021. Each missile is 2.79 m (9 ft 2 in) long for 159 mm (6.25 in) diameter (Block 2) and a wingspan of 434 mm (17.1 in).
It carries a 11.3 kg (24 lb 15 oz) Blast fragmentation warhead and is powered by a Hercules/Bermite Mk. 36 solid-fuel rocket for a 9 km (5.6 mi) range at speeds in excess of Mach 2 (1,500 mph; 2,500 km/h) guided by optional passive radio frequency/infrared homingn and infrared dual mode for an accuracy claimed over 95%.

Phalanx CIWS

The dependable beast of burden of close-in gun defence of the US Navy and another trusted legacy cold war system instaled back in the 1960s. It is using a rotating barrel spitting 30 mm airburst rounds at an amazing rate. Data in the image above. They are mounted close to the Sea Sparrow systems on the roomy sponson decks fore and aft.

Mark 38 25 mm machine gun system

The Mark 38 25 mm machine gun system (MGS) is a shipboard weapon to protect warships from surface asymetric threats such as fast surface craft. It is a M242 Bushmaster chain gun mounted on a remotelly operated turret with manual backup. Now manufactiured and distributed by BAE systems for the current model 4. The full gun and mount weights 1,042 kg (2,297 lb) unloaded and the gun alone 109 kg (240 lb), furing 25 × 137 mm ordnance up to -15° to +55° elevation and +/-165° traverse, at up to 180 rpm using APDS, APDS-T at 1,345 metres per second (4,410 ft/s) or HEI, HEI-T: 1,100 metres per second (3,600 ft/s) depending on the threat. Effective range is 2,500 meters (8,200 feet), max. 6,800 meters (22,300 feet). It is Remotely operated with EO/IR sight, laser rangefinder, and auto-tracking and was alreayd proven against air and baval test drones. The complement would be four Browning M2HB Heavy Machine Guns, but this a well known manually operated legacy ordnance. Exact location is unclear.

Direct Energy Weapons

A USN Laser being trialled shooting drones

Future defense systems upgrades planned includes free-electron laser directed-energy weapons, but also “electric armor”, and new tracking systems. All will require more power. So far the Fored class consumes about 50% of its potential power, with all its system including EMALS. The power reserve would allow to run lasers and electric armor. Modularity also is paet of the original design layout.
For the moment, lasers are still away from service, but the Navy is developing a free-electron laser (FEL) at first designed to counter cruise missiles or small-boat and now drones swarms.

Rapid Weapons Delivery

The CVN 78 class was also designed for better weapons movement paths and eliminate roll, within the ship. Advanced weapons elevators going from storage areas to dedicated weapons handling areas were redesigned to eliminate the need for crews motorized carts, both up to the deck and at different levels of weapons magazines. Linear motors will be relocated to not impede aircraft operations on the flight deck with a redesign of the weapons movement paths and location of the weapons elevators on the flight deck to both reduce manpower and contribute more sorties in a general safer way. This is not yet installed, but planned likely for the first overhaul of Ford and implemented on Miller or Bush.

Sensors: Dual Band Radar (DBR)

Coverage of the BDR of the Ford class (CC)

The Ford’s active electronically scanned array search and tracking radar system counts on the dual-band radar (DBR) at a cost of $500 million, developed by Raytheon intially for the Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers and later CV-X, then CV-21, and Gerald R. Ford-classs. The island resulting of this effort became smaller by replacing six to ten radar antennas with a single, but six-faced radar. The comb X band AN/SPY-3 multifunction radar, with a S band AN/SPY-4 Volume Search Radar (VSR) mad it in to three phased arrays coivering all angles around the island. The S-band radar part of this combo was however never installed to save money on the Zumwalt-class. The three faces of the X-band radar are used for low-altitude tracking and radar illumination, and the other three S-band faces are used for target search and all-weather tracking. They all operated simultaneously over two electromagnetic frequency ranges. Raytheon marke this as a milestone achieved with two frequencies coordinated by a single resource manager. There is no moving parts in such system, easing maintenance and manning requirements.

AN/SPY-3 X Band multifunction radar

The AN/SPY-3 comprises three active arrays plus Receiver/Exciter (REX) above-deck cabinets, and the Signal and Data Processor (SDP) subsystem which is located below-decks. The VSR works the same but with beamforming and narrowband down-conversion functionality in two additional cabinets per array. The central controller or “resource manager” is locacted in the Data Processor (DP) and is the bet innovation of the design, a world’s first. It works at a different frequency than the two active-array radars and is powered by the Common Array Power System (CAPS), comprising the Power Conversion Units (PCUs) and Power Distribution Units (PDUs) while being cooled via the closed-loop Common Array Cooling System (CACS).

USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is fitted instead of the DBR by the “Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar” (EASR). This new surveillance radar is also planned for the America-class from LHA-8 onwards and replacement LX(R). This EASR suite has a per-unit cost will of $180 million less than the DBR.

AN/SPY-4 S Band volume search radar

Planned for the DDG-1000 (Zumwalt) initially it was cancelled on 2 June 2010 (Nunn-McCurdy certification process), but rerained for the Ford class. Second part of the combo with the AN/SPY-3 in the Dual Band Radar. It has 3-face, active, L-band phased array radar and was also planned for the DD(X) and LPD(X). This solid-state, active array radar provide target cueing to the Multi-Function Radar. The MFR/VSR suite supports requirement for reduced radar cross-section and better automation for cost reduction. The coupling was also to deal with swarms attacks in self-defense. The SPY-4 provides hemispheric volume surveillance for a total air picture with the VS/TWS and precision track of any targets. In addition its low elevation detection ios geared to see through clutter and interference environments while in littoral operation. The VSR phased array is geared for longrange detection of air targets; transmitting and receiving pulses to track high-speed and low-altitude even stealthy or high-diving airborne threats down to missiles. It’s complementary to the SPY-3 to engage these. It uses fast beam switching, low noise with active phased arrays and new dynamic range receive systems, but also adaptive digital matched filtering, Doppler processing, interference suppression. Gerald R. Ford, like USS Enteprise before, would be apparently the only USN ship fitted with the BDR.

SPS-74(v)2

The AN/SPS-74(V) is an X-band, 480 MHz bandwidth high resolution sensor that can sweeps the surface up to the horizon at 300 rpm to detect surface threats for early detection and tracking, including of submarine periscopes at significant ranges, in highly cluttered environments. It is able to discriminate a periscope from sea clutter and confusable targets with high probability. It consists of two air-cooled below-deck cabinets, a Receiver/Transmitter (R/T) and the Radar Data Processor (RDP) with the above-deck Antenna Group, plus in the CCS, four Ruggedized Operator Display (ROD) Tactical Workstations, meeting MIL-STD-901D Grade B shock requirements for Nimitz-clas and next Ford class. Normally manned by a single Analysis Operator. Legacy system, to be replaced.

Mk 95

Four fire control radars, the Continuous Wave Illuminator for NATO Sea sparrow Surface Missile System and the new advanced sea sparrow.Another legacy system, interfaced with the DBR.

Facilities

Comparison of the decks of Bush and Ford (navypedia)

These figures below are those of the Reagan class, no data has been published yet for the Ford class:
331.7 meters long and 76.8 meters wide, for a deck surface of 22,268 m² or 239,690 ft square. As seen above it was managed for extra marking space.
-The hangar measures 208.5 (684 ft) x 32.9 (108 ft) x 8.07 m (26 ft) or 6,860 m² in surface (73,840 ft sq.) and 55,357 m³ in volume (1,954,914 ft sq.).
-There are now three deck-edge elevators unlike the Nimitz class. They are supposed to be all electrically powered, with a capacity of 47.6t, and a size of 21.4 meters (70 ft) for the aft new one and three main side lifts 25.9 meters (85 ft) x 15.9m (52 ft). Instead of the three lifts on starboard of the Nimiz, one aft on port, the Ford class had two starboard (creating a wide parking space between them) and one aft port. The large sponsoned surfaced on the aft port corner id freed for future armament and systems additions.
-There are 4 EMALS catapults, a bit longer than the Nimitz ones to take into account future heavier platforms.
-Aircraft fuel stowage ws reported of 12,869,000 liters of JP-5 jet fuel (seems very similar to the Reagan class so subject to caution) and aviation ordnance stowage probably superior to 1950t.

Air Group

The Ford, like the Nimiz, were setup to carry 90 aircraft. Its fighting core is the very versatile Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet that replaced all types in service until then, and its electronic warfare variant the Boeing EA-18G Growler. The heavy lifters are the always needed supplier Grumman C-2 Greyhound, the long ra,nge eyes of the fleet, the venerable, yet modernized Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye. The rotating wing complement is the always dependable Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk good for SAR, liaison and ASW. Newcomers to integrate are the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II, as well as a whole family of unmanned combat aerial vehicles that are supposed to operate with it. As of 2018 its planned group was seventy-five F/A-18E/F and F-35C. To this is added four EA-18G Growler, and four E-2D Hawkeye plus six MH-60R/S helicopter.

Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is the new kid on the block for the USN and a controversial program to say the least. This single-seat, single-engine do-it-all three arms STOVL and supersonic stealth strike fighters was not only designed to be truly multirole and replace all platforms, and performed both air superiority and strike missions with the best electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities anywhere. Lockheed Martin as prime contractor worked with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems to provide it to the USN and USMC, its main variants, a CTOL F-35A for the Air Force, short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35B fror the USMC and carrier variant (CV) CATOBAR F-35C. So far only UK had chosen the F-35B for its own QE class STOBAR carriers.

The F-35C is the largest and heaviest of all three, a 51.5 ft (15.7 m) long model with a wingspan of 43 ft (13.1 m), height of 14.7 ft (4.48 m) and wing area of 668 sq ft (62.06 m2).
Empty weight is 34,581 lb (15,686 kg) with fuel 19,750 lb (8,958 kg), 18,000 lb (8,160 kg) payload, max takeoff weight 70,000 lb (31,800 kg) and range 1,200 nmi (2,200 km) and 670 nmi (1,241 km) combat radius.
The number is F35C carried by Ford is still a work in progress. For the moment, a dozen of so (typical squadron) with three spares. Carrier Air Wings, along with Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Departments (AIMD) stationed aboard the carrier need hardware, software and infrastructure on the flight deck, in the hangar bays and in their maintainer work centers that can plug into ODIN, or Operational Data Integrated Network for maintenance. The latest of Nimitz class are planned a full conversion to the F35C (USS Carl Vinson qualified them already) but Ford was the first designed with the F35C in mind.

Boeing F/A-18E/F

The trusted workhorse of the US Navy. The F-18 Hornet is a design forged in the cold war from the YF-17 Cobra (LERX program) as a cheap allied fighter destined to allies and MDAP-benefitors of the White house, replacing the Northrom F5 Freedom Fighter all the way back to 1965. The YF-17 program was cancelled but the aicraaft was a clear improvement over the F5 and was chosen eventually as per the Navy Air Combat Fighter program, which further developed the design and renamed it F/A-18. It was also developed and adopted for the United States Marine Corps, produced 1974-1997 to an extent of 1480 aiframes, exported (Spain, Finland), and used on all US carriers until replacement by the Boeing F/A-18E/F “super hornet”.

The latter was developed to replace the F14 Tomcat, with at first the F/A-18E single-seat and the F tandem-seat variant, larger and more advanced versions of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. A strike fighter was also developed to rpelace the Corsairs and Intruders in need of replacement. The Super Hornet first flew in 1995, reached full-rate production in September 1997 after the merger of McDonnell Douglas with Boeing. From there was developed the EA-18G Growler (see below) “Rhino”. Full operational service was only reached in 2001, supplanting the F-14 Tomcat retired in 2006, and in service alongside the original Hornet. I saw heavy action in the Middle East and was exported to the RAAF from 2007. Today scheduled for replacement by the F/A-XX in the 2030s.

The super hornet is longer than the original at 60 ft 1.25 in (18.31 m), wider at 44 ft 8.5 in (13.62 m) but abaout the same height at 16 ft (4.88 m). Weight goes from 32,081 lb (14,552 kg) to gross 47,000 lb (21,320 kg) and max TO 66,000 lb (29,937 kg). It could carry up to 14,700 lb (6,668 kg) gallons of JP5, plus 4× 480 US gal (1,817 L) or an extra 13,040 lb (5,915 kg) and more on Block III. Powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans of 13,000 lbf (58 kN) each dry it could Mach 1.8, 1,030 kn (1,185 mph; 1,908 km/h) at 40,000 ft and reach over 1,275 nmi (1,458 mi, 2,346 km) lightly armed down to 492 nmi (566 mi, 911 km) in strike missions, down to 305 nmi (351 mi; 565 km) for a service ceiling of 52,300 ft (15,940 m), climbing at 44,882 ft/min (228 m/s). Baseline armament is a 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A2 Vulcan, 412 rounds and 11 hardpoints for up to 17,750 lb (8,050 kg).

Boeing EA-18G Growler (“Rhino”)

Designed to replace the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler, with an electronic warfare capability provided by Northrop Grumman. The EA-18G started production in 2007, entered service with the US Navy in late 2009. Australia purchased some which entered service in 2017. Specs are abbout the same as the two-seat super Hornet (90% in common), albeit having no gun, instead a new EW suite is installed, with the AN/ALQ-218 wideband receivers on the wingtips and ALQ-99 high and low-band tactical jamming pods. Combined they form a full spectrum electronic warfare suite to provide detection and jamming. Four are carrid by USS Gerald Ford and likely the next carriers of the class, until an EW variant of the F-35 is developed in the future.

Grumman E-2D Hawkeye

First developed to provide longe range radar cover for the US carriers, now manufactured by Northrop Grumman, this reliable twin-prop workhorse first flew in 1960, developed from the cargo Grumman C-2 Greyhound, apparented to the S-2 Tracker, that it replaced. It was manufactured from 1964 to this day, seeing the decks of all US carriers, and no replacement is planned yet. The latest version used on the Ford is the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye also purchased by France for its current Charles de Gaulle and future PANG. It was also copied by China for their own CATOBAR carriers starting with the Fujian. It was also exported to Egypt, Israel, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. Two are carried by the Ford, with one always on deck of need be.

The E2-D Advanced Hawkeye (FF 2007) has an entirely new avionics suite (AN/APY-9 radar, radio, mission computer, integrated satcom, flight management system, better T56-A-427A engines, glass cockpit, aerial refueling and its radome APY-9 features an active electronically scanned array (AESA). It couldnotably take the relay of any ship and huide in flight a Standard Missile SM-6. Production started in 2010 and is ongoing. The E2D is a bit heavier than the older versions but not much larger, and has a crew of 5 (pilot, copilot, radar officer, combat information center officer, aircraft control officer). It is 57 ft 8+3⁄4 in (17.596 m) long for 80 ft 7 in (24.56 m) wide (folding wings), 18 ft 3+3⁄4 in (5.582 m) tall but the Radome could retract by 2 feet (0.6 m) on the now long gone Essex and Midway class carriers so the retraction function is no longer used. Empty weight is 40,200 lb (18,234 kg), Max TO weight: 57,500 lb (26,082 kg), powered by Allison/Rolls-Royce T56-A-427 (E-2C), T56-A-427A (E-2D) turboprop, 5,100 shp (3,800 kW) each for a top speed of 350 kn (400 mph, 650 km/h) and a ferry range of 1,462 nmi (1,682 mi, 2,708 km) or 6 hours, cailing of 34,700 ft (10,600 m). It is unarmed.

X-47B UCAV

The Northrop Grumman X-47B is a demonstration unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) for aircraft carrier-based operations, developed by Northrop Grumman as part of DARPA’s J-UCAS program. Later it was passed onto the UCAS-D program as a tailless jet-powered blended-wing-body aircraft capable of semi-autonomous operation aerial refueling, which first flew in 2011. In 2015 the two active demonstrators started their carrier-based demonstrations. By August 2014, the US Navy announced its adoption for further carrier operations tests alongside manned aircraft, notably the F-35 in the “loyal wingman” configuration. The program today is however in limbo, with further developments pending.

Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk

Another workhorse without replacement yet, the SH-60 Seahawk is the current do-it rotary wing platform all of the Gerald Ford, with four on board to perform SAR, plane guard, liaison, and ASW work, with a mix of MH-60F and R Seahawks. With a crew of 3–4 and 5 passengers in cabin or a slung load of 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) (internal load of 6,684 lb/3,032 kg) payload. This 64 ft 8 in (19.71 m) x 17 ft 2 in (5.23 m), 15,200 lb (6,895 kg) model or 17,758 lb (8,055 kg) in ASW mission (Max TO 21,884 lb (9,926 kg)) is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines rated for 1,890 shp (1,410 kW) and 146 kn (168 mph, 270 km/h) top speed, range 450 nmi (520 mi, 830 km), ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,700 m). In ASW configuration it could carry buoys and two Mark 46 torpedoes or Mk 50 or Mk-54s or two 120 U.S. gal (454 L) fuel tanks.

profile to come

⚙ Ford class specifications
Displacement	c100,000 long tons full load
Dimensions	1,092/1,106 x 134/256 x 250 x 39 (333/337 x 41/78 x 75 x 12 m)
Propulsion	4 shafts, two Bechtel A1B PWR: Classif. Pwr.
Speed	30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph), classified
Range	Unlimited but food and consumables, 50-year service life
Armament	2×8 Mk 29 SAM RIM-162 ESSM, 2×21 Mk 49 RIM-116 RAM, 3× Phalanx CIWS, Mk 38 25 mm, M2 .50 cal.
Sensors	AN/SPY-3 MFR X band active ESA or AN/SPY-4 VSR S band ESA or AN/SPY-6 VSR S band ESA*
Active Protection	AN/SLQ-32(V)6 electronic warfare system, AN/SLQ-25C Nixie towed torpedo decoys
Air Group	75+ see notes
Crew	508 officers+ 3,789 enlisted +2,600 air group

Modifications

This part is also a placeholder for future additions. As USS Ford was first-of-class, design changes started even as construction progressed. The shipbuilder made design changes for update the model before construction of follow-up ships. Several of design changes concerned the EMALS configuration beside new electrical tolerances, extra wiring, and many other changes in accomodations and sub-systems. The Navy anticipated future design changes based on remaining arresting gear development plus integration of testing. About 19,000 changes are programmed into the schedule at contract award, for improvements to its rapidly evolving warfare systems during construction. The software part is perhaps the most dynamic of all, independently of the hardware.

The Ford class: Construction and Career

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)

Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) was laid down on 14 November 2009, launched on 17 November 2013, and commissioned on 22 July 2017. She is replacing USS Enterprise (CVN-65), world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be decommissioned, posing new problems in terms of nuclear waste disposal given the scale of its use, legacy pf the early 1960s technology. On 31 May 2017 the shipyard officially delivered Gerald R. Ford to the U.S. Navy. Her status then was “Special, in service”. He formal commission with a ceremony was by July 2017. On the 28th Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) had their first arrested landing and catapult launchs, from a F/A-18F Super Hornet. By mid-2020 Gerald R. Ford reported issues with her plumbing, but also with the operation of her weapons elevators.

CVN-78 underway April 2017

Ford at her homeport of Norfold back in April 2017 after her shakedown.

Anorther report on early 2021 had her status maintained to “not combat-ready”, due to iongoing issues with her Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and her new arresting gear system. Instead of 4,166 aircraft launches between operational mission failures, this went all the way down to 181, a rate far away from the Nimitz class and leading to many criticisms, including recenly (2025) by current president D.Trump arguing for a backfitting with the same steam catapult than the Nimitz, class, which is of course out of the question given the way the Ford was designed and overall refit cost. The teams have their back to the wall fixing these issues. France was fortunate choosing the EMALS but the formal PANG construction was only decided this december, so by the time the ship will be equipped, EMALS issues would be fixed.

On 20 March 2021, Gerald R. Ford and Cavour conducted Ready for Operations (RFO) together, creating a large combined Italian-US Strike Group in exercises and transiting the Atlantic Ocean. The Italian Navu traditionally rarely ventured past Gibraltar. In September 2022, Rear Adm. James Downey described Gerald R. Ford “fully delivered” and “meeting her initial operating capability”.
Operational service

Gerald R. Ford returning to Naval Station Norfolk after completing her inaugural deployment to the Atlantic Ocean, 26 November 2022.

The new carrier left NS Norfolk to join Task Force Exercise (TFEX) on 4 October 2022 and conduct operations and training with NATO allies and partners in the Atlantic. Her unit, Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12), includes her first air complement, Carrier Air Wing 8, and she is escorted by the Ticonderoga class cruiser USS Normandy, and DesDiv2 Arleigh Burke USS Ramage, USS McFaul and USS Thomas Hudner. The group is supplied by the auxiliary ship USNS Joshua Humphreys and USNS Robert E. Peary, plus USCGC Hamilton. Its first NATO escort was the very capable, latest Bundesmarine Frigate Hessen of the Sachsen class.

Gerald R. Ford made her entire career first port visit on 28 October 2022 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A first hello of the new class to the Royal Canadian Navy and conforming her gradual inclusion if all component nations of NATO for service with the Atlantic fleet. On 14 November 2022 she made a 4 days visit to UK, see off Gosport, and back to Norfolk on 26 November 2022, a first official deployment. On 3 May 2023 she departed her homeport of Norfolk on her first full-length deployment in the 2nd and 6th Fleets Area of Responsibility, Atlantic. The 2nd is for the Atlantic and East Coast and the 6th for the Atlantic and Mediterranean. On 24 May she was seen off Oslo for NATO exercises and hosted at this occasion the Crown Prince Haakon. She was to ventire for the first time in the Arctic Ocean for specialized cold waters drills. On 26 June she was at contrary sent to the warm waters of the Mediterranean, stopping at Split (Croatia) where the crew can rest. By early October she conducted naval exercises with the Marina Militare again, this time in the Ionian Sea.

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups flank USS Mount Whitney, in the Mediterranean Sea, November 2023.

On 8 October 2023, just after Hamas attack on Israel, the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, directed her strike group to the eastern Mediterranean for regional deterrence, with the same escort, USS Normandy, Ramage, Thomas Hudnerbut new DDs, Carney, Roosevelt. She was soon joined by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group 2 and they mixed for a photo. Some escort ships were detached into the Red Sea to intercept missiles and drones from Yemen. The U.S. 6th Fleet command declared her mission was over on 1 January 2024. The carrier was back to Norfolk, relieved by an Amphibious Ready Group (USS Bataan, USS Mesa Verde, USS Carter Hall and escorts). On 17 January she arrived in Norfolk after 8 months on site, 239 days away from Norfolk. She made 43 underway replenishments and performed 10,396 sorties, her keel seeing over 83,476 nmi (154,598 km; 96,062 mi).

Underway in the Mediterranean, nice overview of her deck and complement of 30+ Super Hornet parked, a Hawkeye, four SH-60 seahawk (2 parked, two ready to go).

On 24 June 2025, she was deployed from Norfolk to the Mediterranean and just before the 12-Day War between Israel and Iran, her Carrier Group was expected to reinforce, not releave, USS Carl Vinson and USS Nimitz CSGs. Three carrier groups is an unprecedented concentration to deter Iran. She transited the Strait of Gibraltar, arrived in the Mediterranean on 19 July. By 17 August, with tension increasing with Russia, she transited back the Strait of Dover for the North Sea. On 12 September she was in Oslo for a scheduled port visit, close to the Baltic. Her strike group multiplied exercises in the North and Norwegian Seas, inc. in the Arctic Circle with the Royal Norwegian Navy (HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl and HNoMS Maud), Bundermarine (FGS Hamburg), Marine nationale (FS Aquitaine and FS Somme). In Oslo, the crew had R&R with city tours and local events like a veteran’s run and public outreach. On 24 October, Ford was assigned to the newly decided ant-drug naval operation against Venezuela, deployed to the Caribbean from 12 November. She was now part of the largest USN military buildup in the Caribbean since the Cuban crisis. On 11 December, she reported her role in the seizure of a foreign oil tanker off Venezuela. More to come.

USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79)

USS John F. Kennedy was laid down on 20 July 2015, launched on 29 October 2019 and is expected now to be completed on March 2027. She is supposed to replace the USS Nimitz (CVN-68). Planned to be completed initially in 2018, this was delayed to 2020 after Secretary of Defense Robert Gates the program shift to a five-year building program for a “more fiscally sustainable path”. In late 2012, construction delays however forced the Navy Department investigating these delays bioth for her and USS Enterprise. This pushed back JFK entry into service to 2022. By September 2013, the Government Accountability Office made a comprehensive survey of the Contruction for USS John F. Kennedy to try and find programmatic shortfalls. The Defense Department rejected the recommendation however, and this added up to the delays experienced by USS Gerald R. Ford, failing to meet required deadlines with costs increases of 22%, to $12.8 billion. New critical technology systems and shipbuilder under performance, partly due to the recuitment issues introduced a serious risks to the entire new aircraft carrier program. GAO conductied a deep analysis of required capabilities and associated costs.

JFK’ laying down ceremony in Newport News on 22 August 2015 saw the initials of her ship sponsor Caroline Kennedy, daughter of President Kennedy, sponsor of the previous John F. Kennedy, to be welded into her hull as a good luck open. By late June 2017 she was 50% structurally complete. On 28 February 2018, 70% of her structures for completion were announced completz. On 30 April 2018 this was 75% erected, 40% complete. On 3 May 2018 it was annoubced she was was to be launched three months ahead of schedule, on 29 October 2019. On 30 May 2019 she had her 588-ton island installed. Under the island, another tradition, first CO (Captain) Todd Marzano placed his wings and first Kennedy-faced half dollar donated by Caroline Kennedy. Rear Admiral Brian Antonio as retired program XO and Rear Admiral Roy Kelley, commander of the Naval Air Force Atlantic as well as Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport News Shipbuildin also placed coins embossed with quotes from President Kennedy, forming part of the motto. JFK was 100% complete on 11 July 2019 as her upper bow, launch deck were mated to the hull.

On 1 October 2019, her first crew was activated during the Pre-Commissioning Unit after a ceremony aboard and on29 October her drydock was flooded for the first time, some 100,000,000 US gallons over several days. She was then tugged to the west end of the dry dock for fitting-out, christened on 7 December 2019 by Caroline Kennedy, reenacting the bottle bash made on CV-67, 52 years earlier, was also the 78th anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. In November 2020 there was a 9-figure modification on contract for a single phase delivery and F-35C capabilities, a new directive to meet Fleet requirements and a congressional mandate, ensuring she would be capable of operating/deploying the Joint Strike Fighter before her post-shakedown availability. She tested EMALS in 2022 and combat system in 2023. A contract of $400 million was signed for upgrades to her flight deck, island, and weapon systems and by February 2024 dead load testing and catapule launches (dead loads) were performed from in February-April. Her delivery schedule went from mid-2024 to 2025, and by April 8, 2025, it was announced her July delivery would be missed and pushed back all the way to March 2027, so a full two years, way later than the initial planned date of 2019, making her eight years late, about the same time to built a new aircraft carrier from keel to completion.

USS Enterprise (CVN-80)

artist rendition
USS Enterprise was laid down 27 August 2022, launched on November 2025 and planned for completion in 2029 as scheduled. Current Status: Under construction. She is replacing USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). The name announcement, was made on December 1, 2012, in a pre-recorded speech at the inactivation ceremony for USS Enterprise (CVN-65) by the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. She will be the 9th of the name, 3rd Aircraft Carrier named as such, continuing a legacy that goes back to the most decorated aircraft carrier in WW2, and first nuclear-powered CV in history. CVN-80 will be unique as not to be named in honor of a person since USS America in 1966. By December 2016, Mabus the Olympic gold medalists Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles were chosen to sponsor her, as there are no relative to link her with. With Jennifer Boykin, the yard’s director, they signed a 35-ton steel plate in the keel laying ceremony. Work at Huntington Ingalls included a network of digital platforms for the first time, and construction started in advance of the purchase contract by early 2018.

Steel from CVN-65 will be recycled and used in the construction of CVN-80, marking another symbolic gesture. By August 2022, some 20,000 pounds (9,100 kg) of steel previously salvaged to be recycled for inclusion and 15,000 pounds (6,800 kg) reprocessed, for 35,000 pounds (16,000 kg) total. She will even include four preserved portholes saved from CV-6, and installed on CV-65, direct from the original WW2 predecessor. Her scheduled launch was initially setup to November 2025, planned delivery March 2028. However given the issues described above, this slipped to July 2030 notably due to latye delivery of critical material. The keel laying ceremony of April 5, 2022, three weeks ahead of schedule was sober and limited to the yard’s personal and a few USN officials. The official keel-laying was on August 27. Construction in drydock is still proceeding.

USS Doris Miller (CVN-81)

USS Doris Miller is scheduled to be laid down on January 2026, for a planned launch on October 2029, completion scheduled for 2032. She is replacing USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). She is named for Messman 2nd Class Doris Miller a navy cross recipient for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor. She would be the first aircraft carrier named for both for an enlisted sailor and African American after the Knox class Frigate USS Miller (FF-1091), decommissioned in 1991, decades prior. Construction started on 25 August 2021, with six members of Doris Miller’s family in attendance with the First Cut of Steel ceremony at Newport News, formal start of construction, well ahead of the official keel laying, now expected soon as it is written. To be updated in the next years.

USS William J. Clinton (CVN-82)

William J. Clinton is scheduled to be laid down in 2027, scheduled to be launched on 2032 and for completion and commissioned in 2036 a d she is planned to replace USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).
The ship’s name was announced on 13 January 2025 in a press release by President Joe Biden together with the name of the future CVN-83. She will be named for the 42nd president of the United States, Bill Clinton.

USS George W. Bush (CVN-83)

George W. Bush current status is “TBD” (To Be Determined). The ship’s name was announced on 13 January 2025 in a press release by President Joe Biden, together with the name of CVN-82. She will be named for the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush.