According to the article from 19Fortyfive, on August 4th, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that the Navy’s largest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has passed the “Combat Systems Operational Readiness Evaluation” (CSORE) test. This is an important milestone for this supercarrier to officially begin its operational duties in the near future.
The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is the lead ship of the new Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy. This massive flagship was delivered on May 31, 2017, before officially entering service two months later. The Ford-class is a more modern design, capable of launching 25% more sorties per day and requiring 25% fewer crew compared to the previous Nimitz-class carriers. According to estimates by the U.S. Department of Defense, the operating costs over the 50-year service life of the Ford will be $4 billion less than its predecessor ships.
As the largest aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy, the Gerald R. Ford has a length of 333 meters, a width of 77 meters, a displacement of 100,000 tons, and a tower height of 76 meters. Powered by two A1B nuclear reactors, this flagship has an average speed of 56 km/h and unlimited range, capable of carrying a crew of 4,600 personnel.
With its massive size, the Ford can accommodate up to 90 military aircraft of various types. It is also equipped with a comprehensive weapons system, including two RIM-162 surface-to-air missile launchers, two RIM-116 close-in weapon systems, three Phalanx CIWS automated cannons, and four M2 12.7mm machine guns. For its advanced electronic warfare capabilities, the Ford is fitted with two state-of-the-art active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, the AN/SPY-3 and AN/SPY-4.
With the successful completion of the CSORE test, focusing on the ship’s gun and missile systems, the Ford will now proceed to evaluate its Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) in the coming period. The Navy’s most advanced fighter jets, the F-35C Lightning II and F/A-18E Super Hornet, are expected to be chosen as the routine air wing aboard the carrier.
After numerous delays and a production cost reaching $13 billion, along with an additional $4.7 billion in research and development expenses, the USS Gerald R. Ford is finally ready to commence its operational duties by the end of the year.
Military experts assess that the USS Gerald R. Ford has traversed a long and challenging development path, but now the U.S. Navy personnel can breathe a sigh of relief. Maintaining a fleet of 11 aircraft carriers is crucial in demonstrating America’s global influence and power projection.
“The USS Gerald R. Ford is a masterpiece of the defense industrial base in the context of an increasingly complex security environment,” said Rear Admiral James Downey, the Navy’s program executive officer for aircraft carriers.
