The Navy's New Ford-Class Aircraft Carriers Look Like One Giant Delay
Delays have plagued the U.S. Navy’s Ford-class carrier program. The third Ford-Class carrier, the USS Enterprise, is behind schedule and may not join the fleet until 2030.
“The holdup, which Navy leaders said is due to supply chain issues and lingering effects of COVID-19, is the latest problem in the Ford program and comes at a time when some rivals are outpacing American shipbuilding efforts,” Business Insider reported.
Further delays
A January review found that the USS Enterprise’s intended delivery date would be delayed anywhere between eighteen and twenty-six months. Initially, the carrier was scheduled to join the fleet in March 2028. Now it could arrive as late as May 2030.
At a roundtable with reporters, Nick Guertin, the Navy’s acquisition executive, blamed the delays on “common issues from lingering COVID impacts across the national workforce and supply chain landscape with industry reticent to invest.”
Once the ships are built and delivered, they still need to be tested and certified for combat, which could push their entry into service even further. Indeed, the first vessel of the class, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has been struggling to complete its Initial Operational Test & Evaluation, which has been extended through 2027.
Hopefully, the carrier’s continued mechanical issues can be worked out, and the lessons applied to the Enterprise. The Gerald R. Ford joined the fleet in 2017 but did not take its maiden voyage until 2022, by which time the vessel’s cost had ballooned from an original estimate of several billion dollars to $13.3 billion.
Integrating new technologies
The culprit behind many of the Ford’s delays is its new technological features. Namely, the electromagnetic aircraft launch system, or EMALS, and the Advanced Arresting Gear. Both are brand new technologies, and the Ford is the first vessel to carry them. Both are designed to increase the ship’s Sortie Generation Rate. The EMALS replaces steam catapults that were standard on legacy aircraft carriers. The new system can launch more types of aircraft, with a quicker regeneration period. It is expected to be cheaper to operate and maintain.
Beyond Enterprise
The Enterprise is the third Ford-class vessel, following the namesake USS Gerald R. Ford and the expected launch of the USS John F. Kennedy. While the Enterprise is delayed, the fourth Ford-class carrier, the USS Doris Miller, is currently on schedule. That is because the Navy had the foresight to purchase the Enterprise and the Miller together.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,300 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
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