update on CVN 78 construction

[em2nought]

"tested ashore at Lakehurst, N.J." Well if something was going to go wrong with the catapult, that's definitely the place for it to happen i guess.

[Mr Quatro]

[GSpector]

The one I am most interested in them building is CVN-80 (Enterprise). Of all the ships in Navy history, I'm sure that name has the longest and most distinguished history. Used on sailing Ships as far back as the war of 1812 to one of the 1st Aircraft Carriers in WWII (CV-6), all the way to the 1st Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier (CVN-65), even Goodyear Tires made a "Blimp" for the US Navy to use to guard the West Coast during WWII. In total, I believe the US Navy has had 6 vessels with that name at 1 point or another.

I'll not get into the many uses in Star Trek

[Mr Quatro]

She's still not ready yet

The Navy's New $13 Billion Aircraft Carrier Has Some Serious Problems

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the...-serious-24520

The DoD’s intensive assessment of the Ford, conducted by the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation and published last month, along with its other 2017 technical analyses, reveals “poor or unknown reliability” among many of the Ford’s essential systems, including newly designed catapults, arresting gear, weapons elevators, and radar.”

These systems aren’t just high-profile (see: that steamless catapult) but critical for the vessel’s roles in counterterrorism and great-power deterrence. “[The limitations] could affect the ability of CVN 78 to generate sorties, make the ship more vulnerable to attack, or create limitations during routine operations,” the report states. “The poor or unknown reliability of these critical subsystems is the most significant risk to CVN 78.”

[GSpector]

I just hope they solve all the problems by the time they get CVN-80 (Enterprise) ready and I'll be happy.

[Mr Quatro]

They sure do have a lot of people walking around on the fight deck of the USS Ford (CVN 78) including girls:

[em2nought]

Hmm, where are all the F-35s in that video? Even with all the Ford's hiccups it might be ready before it's F-35s are.

[Mr Quatro]

USS Ford (CVN-78) still not ready "Perhaps at the 75% level"




https://www.yahoo.com/news/13-billio...062000966.html

The U.S. Navy’s new aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford might not be able to deploy until 2024. That’s years later than the Navy originally expected. The delay could further inhibit the ability of the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet to deploy carriers.

The nuclear-powered Ford, which cost no less than $13 billion to build, has been undergoing trials off the U.S. east coast since commissioning in 2017.

The Ford class, in theory, represents a major improvement over the previous Nimitz-class supercarriers. The Navy so has ordered four Fords. Lead vessel Ford was supposed to deploy for the first time in 2022.

The Fords are bigger than the Nimitzs are, boast superior sensors and a more efficient deck layout and feature precise electromagnetic catapults rather than the maintenance-intensive steam catapults that the Nimitzs have.

[Mr Quatro]

Here comes CVN-79 John F. Kennedy

Next month, additional tests will take place prior to Kennedy’s christening on Dec. 7

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Oct. 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) today began flooding the dry dock at its Newport News Shipbuilding division where the keel of aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) was laid in 2015.

The controlled process of slowly filling the dry dock with more than 100 million gallons of water takes place over several days, and marks the first time the ship has been in water.

“The flooding of the dry dock is truly a historic event in the construction of the ship and a special moment for the men and women who have worked to get the ship to the point,” said Mike Butler, program director for Kennedy. “We have made remarkable progress with Kennedy’s construction, and are pleased to get to this phase of construction three months ahead of the original schedule and fewer man hours. We look forward to the upcoming christening and launch as we prepare to start our testing program.”

A video and photos of the dry dock flooding are available at: https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.c...rier-jfk-cvn79.

[Jimbuna]

Kennedy’s christening on Dec. 7

Is that so it coincides with Pearl Harbour?

[Mr Quatro]

https://www.dailypress.com/military/...h3y-story.html

The official seal for the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy has been unveiled, and at first glance the design is clean and simple.

An iconic image of the young president rises larger than life above the ship that will bear his name. The ship’s motto, Serve With Courage, runs below.

But a closer look reveals attention to detail that is the work of Capt. Todd Marzano, the ship’s commanding officer, and others. Marzano and crew took the wraps off the seal this week.

The 35 five stars along the outer ring represent Kennedy as the nation’s 35th president. One of those stars is after his middle initial. Two other stars are between CVN and 79, as the Kennedy is also known.

Why two? Because CVN-79 is the second aircraft carrier named for the late president, the first being CV-67, the nation’s last conventionally powered flattop.

[Mr Quatro]

The USS Ford CVN-78 will likely not deploy until 2023.


https://www.defensenews.com/naval/20...ons-elevators/

The U.S. Navy is over the halfway mark in certifying the new aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford’s 11 advanced weapons elevators, which have been at the center of an ongoing controversy over delays in getting the Navy’s most expensive-ever warship ready for its first deployment.

The elevators are designed to reduce the time it takes to get bombs armed and to the flight deck to mount on aircraft.

the USS Ford was packed with at least 23 new technologies. Those included a complete redesign of the systems used to arm, launch and recover the ship’s aircraft.

All those systems have, in their turn, caused delays in getting the Navy’s most expensive-ever warship to the fleet, which was originally to have deployed in 2018, but now will likely not deploy until 2023. The Ford cost the Navy roughly $13.3 billion, according to the latest Congressional Research Service report on the topic.

[Gerald]

The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78) has concluded its 11th independent steaming event (ISE 11).

The vessel is currently more than midway through its post-delivery test and trials (PDT&T) phase of operations.

During ISE 11, USS Ford achieved multiple PDT&T milestones intended to exercise installed systems and carry out crew training.

The vessel qualified 19 pilots assigned to the Gladiators of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106 and 21 pilots assigned to the Greyhawks of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 120, bringing the total number of catapult launches and arrested landings to 3,975.
A test of the SLQ-32 electronic support system was conducted by USS Ford’s intelligence department to measure sensor accuracy while operating adjacent to the Shipboard Electronic Systems Evaluation Facility range (SESEF).

https://www.naval-technology.com/new...teaming-event/

What a beauty!

[Platapus]

Wow, those new stealth fighters are pretty hard to see.

[Mr Quatro]

It's okay Vendor you didn't know, but I've been reporting on the Ford for five years now

https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/sho...d.php?t=221764

USS Ford CVN 78 is in the process of becoming the best CVN ever to sail the seas. I'll keep you informed the best I can.