Next-generation Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier
Newport News Shipbuilding is currently building the Gerald R. Ford – class, the first new design for an aircraft carrier in decades.
Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are one of the most complex machines ever made by man. The warfighting components of launching and retrieving jet aircraft make it complicated enough, but beneath the surface is a bustling city with two power plants, food services, medical facilities, waste management systems, and even desalination plants that convert sea water to fresh water.
The shipbuilders at Newport News Shipbuilding who build these floating warfighters are now building the newest class of aircraft carriers, the Gerald R. Ford-class. With new software-controlled electromagnetic catapults and weapons elevators, a redesigned flight deck and island, and more than twice the electrical capacity of the preceding class, these aircraft carriers are truly designed for the 21st century and beyond.
The Ford-class is the first new design for a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier since Nimitz (CVN 68). During the design process, the shipbuilders found hidden value in every square inch of the ship, saving the Navy a projected $4 billion in ownership costs over the ship’s 50-year lifespan.