[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by Harvs

You have to wonder why you would approve a catapult system and arresting gear that does not work on your brand new shiny aircraft carrier

http://www.news.com.au/technology/in...-1227405344686

This is not a fair article about the new launching system on the Gerald R Ford USS CVN-78.



Give Newport News shipbuilding some credit they are working on it: http://news.usni.org/2015/06/16/firs...eid=02aae12459

Scott Forney, president of General Atomics’ Electromagnetic Systems Group, said he was confident the system would be up and running shortly and able to successfully complete the test program this month.
“We’ve already successfully tested 452 airplanes and 3,400 dead loads at the Lakehurst land-based facility, which is the same as this system,” he said

The USS Ford will be used for 50 years, and the new class would serve through 2110.

The Ford features a new nuclear power plant, a redesigned island, electromagnetic catapults, new weapons and storage elevators, and an enhanced flight deck.

It has 10 million feet of electrical cabling on board, compared to 3 million on the predecessor ship, as well as 4 million feet of fiber optic cable, Moore said, noting sailors would also be able to watch television on board and receive regular emails.

The ship will produce 500,0000 gallons of fresh water a day, 100,000 more than earlier Nimitz-class carriers, Moore said. He said this would allow sailors to take "Hollywood showers," keeping water running while they bathe, instead of Spartan "Navy showers".

Ford-class ships also have far more automated systems, which would reduce their long-term operating costs. Such changes will allow the Navy to staff the ship with 900 to 1,200 fewer people than current levels around 5,500 to 6,000 people, including air wing personnel.

Newport News estimates the Ford-class ships will cost $4 billion less to operate over their lifetimes than earlier ships. About 40 percent of a ship's total lifetime cost is in maintenance.

The new ships require major maintenance every 42 months, compared to 32 to 36 months for the Nimitz-class ships.