Page 39: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 2017)

CVN 78 – he U.S. Navy’s new- commanding of? cer. est aircraft carrier, According to Rear Adm. Brian Anto-

USS Gerald R. Ford nio, the program executive of? cer for

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), was com- carriers, CVN 78 has increased ? exibil- missioned on July ity, with nearly three times the electric 22 at Norfolk, Vir- plant capacity; a bigger ? ight deck and

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) pulls alongside ginia. CVN-78 hon- hangar bay for ? ight deck operations the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS William McLean (T-

Tors the 38th presi- and aircraft maintenance, and a 33 per-

AKE 12) during a practice underway replenishment. Gerald R. dent of the United States and pays tribute cent increase in sortie generation rate;

Ford is underway conducting test and evaluation operations. to his lifetime of service in the Navy, in the and reduced manning and a 20 percent (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Mathew R. Fairchild/Released)

U.S. government and to the nation. Dur- reduction in maintenance costs. And it ing World War II Ford attained the rank of requires a smaller crew.

lieutenant commander in the Navy, serv- Because of the way the ship was de- volts found on Nimitz-class carriers, and cal paper drawings, the designs are digi- ing on the light carrier USS Monterey signed, it won’t require the same period- features all-electric auxiliary services. tal. “CVN-78 was the ? rst aircraft car- (CVL 26). Ford served in the U.S. House icity for major maintenance. That means This means steam heavy and mainte- rier to utilize a 3D product model as the of Representatives and became vice presi- a longer time where the ship is operation- nance-intensive hydraulic systems and design implementation tool for the entire dent and then president in the aftermath of al before having to be brought into the pneumatic piping are eliminated. It has ship. A 3D product model had been used the Watergate scandal. He served as presi- shipyard for re? t. The 43-month main- a zonal electrical distribution system and for submarine design previously, and for dent from 1974-1977. tenance cycle and 12-year docking inter- all-electric advanced weapons elevators. discrete areas of carriers in the past, but

The Gerald R. Ford represents a leap vals means the ship will spend less time The steam catapult is replaced by an never to the extent that it was used for in technology over the ten Nimitz-class in the shipyard and more time deployed. electro-magnetic aircraft launch system CVN-78,” said Craig Byrum, Newport nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in op- Navy of? cials say the total life-cycle op- (EMALS), and aircraft will be recovered News Shipbuilding engineering director. eration. The ? rst, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) erating cost is reduced by nearly $4 billion using an advanced arresting gear (AAG). “Also, CVN-78 started with a clean sheet was commissioned in 1975, but was de- per hull compared to the Nimitz-class, in The new dual-band radar (DBR) helps space arrangement and was con? gured to signed using and with technology from large part due to a reduce crew size. coordinate the ship’s aircraft and defend optimize material movement, weapons the 1960s. Construction on Ford started in The Ford’s integrated electric propul- itself and the strike group. handling, and allow for a reduced crew.” 2009, and the ship cost about $13 billion. sion system includes a pair of A1B re- “In all, 23 new or modi? ed systems The all-electric system eliminates steam

The Ford’s hull is similar to the Nimi- actors that each generate 300 MW of distinguish Gerald R. Ford from aircraft lines and pumps, and reduces hydrau- tz-class predecessors, but what’s inside, power, three times what the Nimitz-class carriers of the Nimitz-class, bringing lic systems, cutting down on weight and and on deck, is very different. In fact, A4W reactors produced. That extra pow- increased safety, effectiveness and ef? - maintenance. CVN 78 has a third fewer

Ford has many new critical systems not er also provides signi? cant margin for ciency to the ship’s crew members, ? ight valves than the Nimitz-class ships. Ship found on any ship. future electrical loads. That’s especially deck, propulsion system, electric plant, construction normally begins with a keel “Gerald R. Ford has several technolo- important when considering that the war- machinery control and integrated warfare laying. When the keel—sort of the spine gies that are unique to the Ford-class, ships of tomorrow will have sensor and systems,” said Rear Adm. Bruce Lindsey, of the ship--is laid down, the frames can such as a re-designed reactor plant, dual weapons power demands that rival the commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic. be built up, then the decks and the skin of band radar, electromagnetic launch sys- propulsion requirement. The CVN 78 The design process for CVN 78 has the ship. When the ship can be ? oated, it’s tem, and advanced arresting gear,” said electrical system operates at 13,800 volts been different from other ships in general, “launched” into the water, where the rest

Capt. Richard McCormack, the Ford’s of electrical power, compared to 4,160 and carriers in speci? c. Instead of physi- of assembly and out? tting takes place. www.marinelink.com 39

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