As the Nimitz-class carriers retire, fielding their Ford-class replacements in a timely manner is imperative.
Delays to several of the U.S. Navy’s upcoming programs continue to plague the service. From submarines and aircraft carriers to destroyers and fighter jets, the Navy is experiencing budgetary constraints and shipbuilding delays that are impacting its next-generation projects. The second Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, USS John F. Kennedy, was scheduled for delivery back in 2022. However, this timeline keeps getting pushed back due to a combination of reported technical issues and supply chain hurdles.
Earlier this month, a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing focused on the state of America’s nuclear shipbuilding outlined some of these timing constraints in detail. In a joint statement, the officials detailed that the “John F Kennedy (CVN 79) is nearly 95 percent construction complete and has a contract delivery date of July 2025, however, we assess significant pressure to that date,” citing “critical path challenges” specifically when it comes to the aircraft carrier’s advanced weapons elevators and aircraft launch and recovery equipment. Currently, delivery of the second Ford-class carrier is expected in early 2030.
The Ford-class
While all but one of the Navy’s operating aircraft carriers are Nimitz-class ships, the future of the fleet will eventually be fully made up of their Ford-class successors. The premier ship in the Ford-class, USS Gerald R. Ford, embarked on its first worldwide deployment to the Mediterranean earlier this year, marking a major milestone for the platform and the Navy. Although the Nimitz warships are widely considered to be the most advanced of their kind in the waters today, the Ford ships are even more advanced and lethal. From top speed to endurance, the Ford carriers will be unmatched once in operational capacity.
The Ford-class hosts a litany of emerging technologies that make it top-notch. It was designed to feature the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, the Ship Self-Defense System, and an advanced arresting gear. With these new systems in place, the Ford ships can launch 160 sorties a day, while the Nimitz-class carriers can only launch 140 per day. This significant jump in sorties will allow the Navy to carry out additional air strikes in combat operations, which is vital considering the ongoing conflict occurring in the Red Sea today. In terms of power, the Ford aircraft carriers are powered by the new Bechtel A1B reactor, which is more powerful than the A4W reactors that power the Nimitz ships. Since the Ford-class was designed with the future in mind, these warships can more easily incorporate unforeseen technologies down the line.
The Nimitz carriers are beginning to reach the end of their service lives so fielding their Ford replacements in a timely manner is imperative. While rising costs associated with shipbuilding are stalling progress on the Fords’ arrivals, prioritizing a next-generation carrier class will support America’s national security and foreign policy objectives.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: DVIDS.
