US Navy’s £10bn aircraft carrier
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AP:ASSOCIATED PRESS
The ship’s ability to launch so many airstrikes is thanks to electromagnetic
force, which propels the jets forward at incredible speeds.
The Ford will also appear almost invisible to enemy radar detectors
and can “steer itself”.
The one-of-a-kind navigation system is just one of many hi-tech upgrades
aboard the ship that was commissioned into active duty on July 22
after eight years of construction, development and testing.
The 1,100-foot Ford incorporates advanced technology and operational
systems that will allow aircraft take off and land more quickly, with a
smaller crew and improved chances of survival against attack.
“One primary difference is the crew composition,” said the ship’s
executive officer, Capt. Brent
Gaut. “We’ve worked a great deal to automise a lot of what we do,”
Gaut. “We’ve worked a great deal to automise a lot of what we do,”
he said, highlighting that the Ford maintains a crew of 2,600 sailors –
600 fewer than its predecessors in the Nimitz-class.
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The catapults and advanced arresting gear have been coupled with
new structural designs – including a larger flight deck to improve aircraft
manoeuvrability and a re-positioned “island” (the tower where the captain sits)
for better visibility.
“These systems are expected to streamline flight operations and allow
the Ford to launch 33% more aircraft than older carriers in the fleet –
meaning it will be able to pack a bigger punch.
“The more bombs I get over the target area the more lethal I am,”
Commanding Officer Capt. Rick McCormack told CNN.
“Certainly we’ve taken a hard look at the technology,” said Capt.
Gaut, McCormack’s second-in-command.
“We are always trying to stay a step ahead of the adversary and I think
we’ve done that with this carrier.”
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The ship underwent the first of its sea trials to test its numerous
state-of-the-art
systems earlier this year.
The aircraft carrier left Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News
Shipbuilding in Newport News after more than a year in delays
and extra costs.
Construction for the Ford, which was projected to set the Navy
back by $10billion, started in 2009.
The warship was supposed to be finished in September 2015,
but ended up taking over a year and a half longer.
The firm tasked with building the Ford faced issues with its
advanced systems and technology, including aircraft landing equipment
and power generation.
Nearly 5,000 shipbuilders were involved in the warship’s construction,
with the finished product weighing almost 100,000 tonnes.
It boasts a five-acre flight deck, can transport 4,660 personnel
and 75 aircraft.
The ship, which was designed using 3D computer modelling,
is capable of reaching speeds upwards of 34mph thanks to
its two nuclear reactors.
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America's navy has operated 10 carriers since the retirement of the
USS Enterprise in 2012 - one fewer than the 11 carrier-force okayed
by Congress in 2011.
The Navy was granted a waiver as it waited for the USS Gerald
Ford to be completed.
The next carrier in the Ford class, the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79),
is scheduled to launch in 2020. It was 50% complete as of July.
The third Ford-class carrier, the USS Enterprise (CVN 80),
is set to begin construction in 2018.
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