For decades, aircraft carriers have been the linchpin of American naval power—the giant floating airbases that can project force, dissuade enemies, and react to emergencies around the world. Pioneering this legacy is the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the latest and greatest carrier in the Navy fleet, a quantum leap in the way that America fights at sea.
As the class leader, Gerald R. Ford introduces a new carrier design unheard of in decades, taking over from the time-tested Nimitz-class. 1,106 feet long and displacing nearly 100,000 tons, the vessel is a titan, overshadowing nearly every other vessel plying the waters in the area.
Its deck, by itself, takes up as much space as four football fields, and the massive superstructure reaches almost as high as a 24-story skyscraper. But size is only half the story—the Ford is also packed with state-of-the-art technology that revolutionizes the function of carriers.
One of its 23 major innovations stands out. The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) does away with steam catapults in favor of quicker, smoother launches for pilots and planes alike. In bringing back planes, the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) provides a more secure, efficient way of pulling planes aboard.
Other technologies are just as important. Automation-facilitated weapons elevators speed the arming of aircraft, helping crews to deliver greater sortie rates with fewer individuals required. Its Dual Band Radar increases air and surface surveillance, and twin A1B nuclear reactors provide more than twice the electrical power of earlier carriers and allow it to operate 25 years without refueling.
Efficiency and responsiveness are the driving ideals. With automation, Ford requires approximately 400 fewer sailors than a Nimitz-class carrier, cutting manpower needs while preserving capability.
The ship’s initial combat deployment was a proving moment. After years of setbacks and technical issues, the Gerald R. Ford completed its first full mission, including operations in the eastern Mediterranean during the Israel-Hamas conflict. While it never faced enemy drones or missiles in the Red Sea, its very presence conveyed a strong message of U.S. resolve, injecting stability at times of tension.
The $13 billion price tag has drawn critics’ eyebrows, who question whether it was worth the investment. But the Ford’s performance—quicker jet launches, smaller crew, and greater operating flexibility—has begun to demonstrate its long-term value. Shipbuilders project that the efficiencies built into the ship will save $4 billion in operating costs over its 50-year life.
The Ford is meant to be adaptable. It has the capacity to carry more than 75 aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornets, F-35C Lightning II stealth fighters, E-2D Hawkeyes, and MH-60R/S Seahawks, for almost any mission—combat operations, intelligence missions, or humanitarian assistance. It projects its range thousands of kilometers offshore, enabling it to strike targets several hundred kilometers inshore, enforce blockades, protect vital shipping lanes, and serve as the command center for allied fleet action.
Strategically, the carrier has already paid its way. Its deployments into sensitive regions, like the sea off Iran, indicate its function as a deterrent and as an ally reassurance. Equipped with state-of-the-art defensive and offensive power, Gerald R. Ford is shield and sword, able to affect events before there is ever a shot fired.
In the future, the Ford-class sets the model for the Navy. No fewer than four more ships in the class are on the schedule, each of which will benefit from the same focus on speed, accuracy, and automation. The USS Gerald R. Ford is more than a warship. It is an engineering marvel, a sea-going fortress, and a clear sign that the United States will remain a world maritime power for centuries to come.
