Aircraft Carrier
Gerald R. Ford-class
The Gerald R. Ford class is the US Navy’s newest class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, built by HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding. The lead ship, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), was commissioned in 2017 and is widely described as the largest and most expensive warship ever built.
United States|HII Newport News ShipbuildingOverview
The Ford class succeeds the Nimitz class with a redesigned hull and new technology. Each ship displaces about 100,000 tonnes, is 337 m long with a flight deck 78 m wide, and exceeds 30 knots. Two A1B reactors supply far more electrical power than on earlier carriers, driving the EMALS electromagnetic catapults and Advanced Arresting Gear. The ship can embark more than 75 aircraft, and about 4,500 personnel serve aboard, including the air wing.
USS Gerald R. Ford cost about $13.3 billion and made its first full deployment in 2022–23, including operations in the Eastern Mediterranean after October 2023. New systems such as EMALS and the weapons elevators caused well-publicized delays during testing. Three more ships are under construction or planned: John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), Enterprise (CVN-80) and Doris Miller (CVN-81). The US Navy is the only operator of the class.
Key Specifications
Variants
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is the lead ship of the class, commissioned in 2017 at a cost of about $13.3 billion.
USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is the second Ford-class carrier, built using lessons learned from the lead ship’s construction.
Enterprise (CVN-80) and Doris Miller (CVN-81) are the third and fourth ships of the class, ordered together in a two-ship contract.
Operators
United StatesFrequently Asked Questions
How much does a Ford-class aircraft carrier cost?
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) cost about $13.3 billion to build, making it the most expensive warship in history. Follow-on ships are estimated in a similar range, before counting the air wing and operating costs.
How fast is the USS Gerald R. Ford?
The USS Gerald R. Ford can sail at more than 30 knots (over 56 km/h), according to official figures. Its exact top speed is classified, and its two A1B nuclear reactors let it operate for many years without refueling.
How many Ford-class carriers are there?
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is the only Ford-class carrier commissioned so far, according to the latest public schedules. Three more are under construction or planned: John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), Enterprise (CVN-80) and Doris Miller (CVN-81).
How many planes does a Ford-class carrier hold?
A Ford-class carrier can embark more than 75 aircraft, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, F-35C fighters, E-2D Hawkeyes, EA-18G Growlers and helicopters. Its EMALS catapults are designed to support a higher sortie rate than older carriers.
Ford class vs Nimitz class: what is the difference?
The Ford class keeps a hull of similar size to the Nimitz class but adds EMALS catapults, Advanced Arresting Gear, new A1B reactors and a redesigned flight deck. It is designed to generate more sorties with a smaller ship’s crew.
Who builds the Ford-class aircraft carriers?
Ford-class carriers are built by Newport News Shipbuilding, part of Huntington Ingalls Industries, in Newport News, Virginia. It is the only shipyard in the United States able to build nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.