US Navy Ford Class nuclear carriers

Re: The Building of America's next "Super" Carrier, CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78

Back on topic...please lets stop with the naming issue and take that to another thread if someone wants to start it.

Mods...would you please back up this request?

I agree. and it's my fault..sorry. Let's move on..
bd popeye

Anyhow, here's the video of the first flight deck portion being lifted back in April, six months ago. Over 700 tons and brought her top 75% complete.


Lot's has happened since.

Re: The Building of America's next "Super" Carrier, CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78

Modular assembly at its best. This goes back to when American shipyards were turning out a Liberty ship on the average of one every 42 days

Re: The Building of America's next "Super" Carrier, CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78

NikeX said:

Modular assembly at its best. This goes back to when American shipyards were turning out a Liberty ship on the average of one every 42 days

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That was an average from many, many yards.

During World War II, a Liberty Ship could be built in about two weeks at the Kaiser yards, which were the most advanced. Average of one ship evey 14 days in those yards.

In November 1942, one of Kaiser's Richmond yards built a Liberty Ship, the Robert E. Peary, in 4 days, 15 hours, and 29 minutes to show how fast they actually could do it if they pulled out all the stops.

Across the nation, with the overall averge being 42 days, by 1943, three Liberty Ships were being completed each day in the US. The US proved it could build merchant vessels for itself and its allies far faster than the Germans and Japanese could sink them.

CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) 90% structurally complete

Huntington Ingalls shipbuilding announced today that the new US nuclear powered super carrier, and first in its class, the USS Gerald R. Ford, CVN-78, had reached the 90% structurally complete milestone.

Re: CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) 90% structurally complete

Jeff Head said:

Huntington Ingalls shipbuilding announced today that the new US nuclear powered super carrier, and first in its class, the USS Gerald R. Ford, CVN-78, had reached the 90% structurally complete milestone.

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NICE! From the looks of that pic, it looks like they're adding the lift elevator onto the port side deck.

Re: CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) 90% structurally complete

Equation said:

NICE! From the looks of that pic, it looks like they're adding the lift elevator onto the port side deck.

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That is a a 140-foot long, 391-metric ton sponson, and it is well forward. You can see the area aft there, where the only elevator on the port side is located.

The Ford will have two elevators starboard, in front of the island (which has been moved furhter aft itself), and one elevator port, in the normal, aft location. Three elevators in all now, instead of the four the Nimitz, Enterprise, Kitty Hawk and Forestal classes had.

Re: The Building of America's next "Super" Carrier, CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78

Better get the tremendous Island Lift video on this thread.


This was a huge milestone. She will be launched in a few more months.

Re: The Building of America's next "Super" Carrier, CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78

Another big milestone now completed for the US Navy's next nuclear powered super-carrier, the first of class, USS Gerald R. Ford..

The flight deck of the big carrier was completed with the lift and install of the forward bow section. That's a 788 ton section. The island was lifted on deck and installed earlier this year and this brings the Ford to 96% structurally complete and on target for launching later this year.


Soon...soon. Another big carrier will be in the water, and the USS John F. Kennedy, CVN-79, will take her place in the yards, followed by...you guessed it, CVN-80, the next USS Enterprise!

Re: The Building of America's next "Super" Carrier, CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78

Updating the Ford Class Construction thread.

This is the final lift of any structure onto the hull of the USS Gerald Ford, CVN-78, first of the new Ford Class carriers. This was a relatively small 62 ton lift of the last forward part of one of the forward EMALS catapults.

She is now 100% structurally complete. Painting, remaining interior electrical work, some shafting work, and installation of radar remain before flooding of the dry dock for launch.

Soon...soon!


Before that, here is the video of the lift of the island structure on January 16, 2013.

Re: The Building of America's next "Super" Carrier, CVN-78 USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78

From the Daily News of Marine Forum, 27 June:

USA
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) proposes delaying construction of second FORD class aircraft carrier, JOHN F. KENNEDY … due to delays and “reliability deficiencies” with new systems, type ship FORD “will likely face operational limitations that extend past commissioning (in March 2016) and into initial deployments” … with rising costs there is enough reason to delay construction of JFK until the FORD’s technology is proven.

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