The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) has been at sea one of every two days since returning to service in October, Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said Tuesday, continuing evidence that the ship is meeting or exceeding expectations.
Capt. JJ “Yank” Cummings, USN, the commanding officer of USS Gerald R Ford, says his ship’s systems are “spot on,” including zero problems with propulsion and smooth functioning of its electromagnetic catapults and new arresting gear, improving capabilities and the importance of keeping Ford-class sailors on Ford-class ships during an interview with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. Col. James “Hondo” Geurts, USAF Ret., the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition invited a small group of reporters to travel aboard Ford on Jan. 27, 2020, as the ship conducted Aircraft Compatibility Testing off the Virginia coast.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The champagne bottle hit the cold steel hull and bounced off it did not break. Undaunted, the Honorable Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan and daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy pulled back and again swung the glass bottle with the force of a baseball player hitting a home run.Uttering for the second time in 52-years Kennedy the words “I christen thee United States Ship John F. Kennedy, may God bless this ship and all who sail her” – the second swing did the job.
The Navy was kept in the dark by Huntington Ingalls’ leadership about the severity of engineering issues with Advanced Weapons Elevators on the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford according to Navy’s top civilian official speaking with reporters Sunday at Naval Station Norfolk.
Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer minced no words after being questioned about the Ford’s struggles and recent lawmaker comments about the ship shortly after arriving back ashore from a several hour visit to the ship, which is undergoing trials off the Virginia Coast.
The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford headed back to sea this morning, its first trip to open water in nearly 16 months.The ship has been undergoing her post shakedown availability at the Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding, after being towed to the yard “dead stick” on July 15, 2018.
Rear Adm. Steve Williamson, USN, the deputy command for logistics, maintenance and industrial operations at the Naval Sea Systems Command, discusses investing in the nation’s public shipyards and workforce to speed nuclear submarine and carrier maintenance and more with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League’s 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradshow near Washington where our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.
Mike Petters, the president and CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industries, discusses the company’s recent acquisitions of cyber and IT companies G2 and Fulcrum, addressing the US Navy’s unmanned systems needs, learning lessons to reduce Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine development and construction costs, saving time and money on building the second Ford-class carrier — John F. Kennedy — harnessing data and the role of automation with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian. The interview was conducted at the Navy League’s 2019 Sea Air Space conference and tradeshow near Washington where our coverage was sponsored by GE Marine, Huntington Ingalls Industries and Leonardo DRS.