The U.S. Navy next-generation aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), returned to sea for this week for a series of sea trials prior to returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. The sea trials took place off the U.S. east coast after the aircraft carrier completed a 15-month pierside maintenance period, known as a Post Shakedown Availability (PSA), at Huntington … [Read more...]
FAIL: $13 billion US Supercarrier Misses Another Deadline
By Tony Capaccio (Bloomberg) --Only two of 11 elevators needed to lift munitions to the deck of the U.S. Navy’s new $13 billion aircraft carrier have been fully installed, according to a Navy veteran who serves on a key House committee. “I don’t see an end in sight right now” to getting all the elevators working on the USS Gerald R. Ford, the costliest warship ever, … [Read more...]
U.S. Navy Awards $15 Billion Contract for Construction of New Ford-Class Aircraft Carriers
WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Thursday it awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc a $15.2 billion contract to build two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The U.S. Navy told lawmakers in December it intended to pursue a block purchase of two Ford-class aircraft carriers, a step officials have said could save billions of dollars as the Trump … [Read more...]
Navy Busts $12.9 Billion Spending Cap On Supercarrier
by Tony Capaccio (Bloomberg) The US Navy’s costliest vessel ever just got pricer, breaching a $12.9 billion cap set by Congress by $120 million, the service told lawmakers this week. The extra money for the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford built by Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. is needed to replace faulty propulsion components damaged in a January failure, extend the vessel’s … [Read more...]
Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier Suffers New Failure at Sea
By Tony Capaccio (Bloomberg) -- The Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s costliest warship, suffered a new failure at sea that forced it back to port and raised fresh questions about the new class of aircraft carriers. The previously undisclosed problem with a propulsion system bearing, which occurred in January but has yet to be remedied, comes as the Navy is poised to … [Read more...]