The U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class carriers are a quantum leap in naval technology, warfighting capability, and international presence. The flagship of the new class is the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the warship that glides on the combination of innovative systems and profound symbolic significance, once more exemplifying America’s resolve to continue asserting sea power in the face of an increasingly changing world.
Named after President Gerald R. Ford, the vessel has more than a nameplate—it possesses a tradition of service, integrity, and resolve. The decision commemorates Ford’s presidency and emphasizes the Navy’s emphasis on resilience, readiness, and constant presence at the seas of the world.
Installed on board the Ford-class is a fresh nuclear powerplant created by Northrop Grumman from scratch. Two reactors powering four shafts provide 150% more power compared to the Nimitz-class, allowing the ship to support future sensors, weapons systems, and future upgrades for decades.
The Ford-class has 23 new or enhanced systems over its predecessors. Its island has been miniaturized, relocated farther aft, and capped with a composite mast with planar array radar antennas.
The highlight is the dual-band radar, featuring X-band and S-band phased arrays, that provides the ship with greater situational awareness and better coordination with allied forces. The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) is utilized to substitute steam catapults with an electromagnetic rail that launches aircraft more efficiently and more gently on their frames.
The Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) controls recovery through electromagnetic technology, arresting aircraft safely at lower gear and aircraft stress. The LOX plant of the next generation, utilizing advanced Thermoacoustic Stirling Cryocooler technology, generates aviation and medical-grade oxygen rapidly and independently.
This minimizes workload on crew members, makes operations simple, and provides readiness in any weather condition. Because it can transport 90 aircraft, the Ford-class can accommodate F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes, EA-18G Growlers, MH-60R/S helicopters, and future unmanned air vehicles.
Its new flight deck enhances sortie rates—160 sorties per day and 220 sorties per day during surge—due to relocated elevators, increased parking, and handling of weapons. Even though the Ford is larger than the Nimitz-class, it needs 500 to 900 fewer sailors.
Automation, better living conditions, more recreational space, sound control, and power-saving systems enhance the quality of life, decrease operating costs, and minimize the environmental impact of the ship. Since it was commissioned in 2017, the USS Gerald R. Ford has experienced testing and operational evaluation, including an eight-month deployment to the Mediterranean.
During this time, it cooperated extremely closely with NATO allies, showcased its innovative strength, and progressed the U.S. strategic presence in the area. The Ford-class program has revitalized America’s shipbuilding industry, spurring investment in domestic infrastructure, workforce training, and technology research. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro also highlighted robust public-private partnerships to maintain U.S. sea superiority.
With the USS John F. Kennedy, USS Enterprise, and USS Doris Miller already underway on the building blocks, the Ford-class carriers will be the backbone of U.S. carrier strike groups for the decades ahead. These are not floating airbases; these are representations of American versatility, ingenuity, and the enduring relevance of naval power in a changing world.