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Ford-Class: Navy Needs Largest Carrier Ever

It’s expensive and has been running late, but the USS Gerald R. Ford is one robust carrier. The Ford was commissioned in 2017 and is almost ready for its first official deployment. It is the lead ship in the Ford-class that will replace the Nimitz-class carriers one-for-one in the coming years. The USS John F. Kennedy, also a Ford-class, is slated to be delivered to the navy in 2024. It is in U.S. code that the navy is required to keep 11 carriers in its fleet at all times. So, it is imperative that the Gerald R. Ford conducts its first scheduled patrol this year. 
Some Presidents Know the Navy Well
Another president, Teddy Roosevelt, once said, “A good navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guaranty of peace.” The Ford-class is one way to project power and carry a big stick.
More Sorties With Fewer Sailors 
The Ford-class keeps the basic Nimitz-class hull form yet has numerous improvements over the earlier carriers. It can fly more sorties per day, require fewer crew members to save money on personnel expenses, and lessen the need for more operating and support costs. This should reduce total expenditures for each Ford-class ship by $4 billion during each lifecycle.
It Needed a Break
The Gerald R. Ford finally completed a six-month “modernization and maintenance” period at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News …

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