Fordclass

Ford-class, also known as the Ford-class aircraft carrier, is the latest class of United States Navy nuclear-powered supercarriers, intended to replace the Nimitz-class as the fleet’s capital ships. Named after President Gerald R. Ford, the class emphasizes greater power generation, advanced launch and recovery systems, and improved sensor and command-and-control capabilities. The lead ship, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), was commissioned in 2017.

Design and features: The Ford-class introduces the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) to replace steam catapults, and the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for aircraft recovery. It relies on two A1B nuclear reactors, delivering more electrical power for propulsion, weapons, and future energy-intensive capabilities. The ship features a redesigned flight deck and island to optimize sortie generation and reduce crew requirements, an integrated electrical power system, and a sensor suite that includes the AN/SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar. The class also incorporates new weapons elevators, improved habitability, and a modular design to enable future upgrades and technologies.

Construction and status: Built by Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, the Ford-class program has pursued significant hardware and software refreshes in a single hull family. The program has faced cost and schedule challenges, particularly related to EMALS and AAG development and integration, which influenced testing and deployment timelines.

Planned ships: The class comprises CVN-78 and subsequent hulls CVN-79 John F. Kennedy, CVN-80 Enterprise, and CVN-81 Doris Miller. These ships are intended to extend carrier endurance and introduce continued enhancements in power, payload capacity, and digital systems.