Posted on Jul 13, 2016
Delivery of New Carrier Ford to Navy Delayed Yet Again
2.9K
38
35
8
8
0
The Navy said Tuesday that more "first of class" problems have been found in the new Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier that will delay delivery at least another two months.
The Navy did not specify what the new problems were with the Ford, which has already been the topic of numerous congressional hearings on cost overruns and troubles with arresting gear on the flight deck.
However, Capt. Thurraya Kent, a Navy spokeswoman, said that "during ongoing testing of developmental systems aboard the CVN 78 (Ford), first of class issues are continuing to be resolved."
Delivery of the aircraft carrier to the Navy, which had been expected in the August-September time frame, will now be delayed at least until November, the Navy said.
"If additional issues arise during the remaining shipboard testing, that date may need to be revised," Kent said. The ship being readied at Newport News (Virginia) Shipbuilding is 98 percent complete.
In a scathing statement, Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed his exasperation at yet another setback for the Ford, which has had $2.3 billion in cost overruns to boost the estimated final cost to $13 billion.
Another delivery delay "further demonstrates that key systems still have not demonstrated expected performance," McCain said. "The advanced arresting gear [AAG] cannot recover airplanes. Advanced weapons elevators cannot lift munitions. The dual-band radar cannot integrate two radar bands. Even if everything goes according to the Navy's plan, CVN-78 will be delivered with multiple systems unproven.
"This situation is unacceptable and was entirely preventable," McCain said. "The Ford-class program is a case study in why our acquisition system must be reformed."
The 1,100-foot Ford will be the first in a new class of supercarriers intended to replace the Nimitz-class carriers. The Ford has a hull design similar to the Nimitz carriers but will introduce new technologies such as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System in place of steam catapults and other improvements meant to reduce operating costs and crew requirements.
@SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas , Capt Christopher Mueller , CPT (Join to see) , COL Mikel J. Burroughs , Sgt Joe LaBranche , SSgt (Join to see), TSgt Hunter Logan Capt Seid Waddell SrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F. PO2 Ed C. PO2 Mark Saffell MSG Tom Earley PVT James Strait Alan K. @po1 william "chip" PO1 William "Chip" Nagel @SGT John McConnell SGT John " Mac " McConnell
The Navy did not specify what the new problems were with the Ford, which has already been the topic of numerous congressional hearings on cost overruns and troubles with arresting gear on the flight deck.
However, Capt. Thurraya Kent, a Navy spokeswoman, said that "during ongoing testing of developmental systems aboard the CVN 78 (Ford), first of class issues are continuing to be resolved."
Delivery of the aircraft carrier to the Navy, which had been expected in the August-September time frame, will now be delayed at least until November, the Navy said.
"If additional issues arise during the remaining shipboard testing, that date may need to be revised," Kent said. The ship being readied at Newport News (Virginia) Shipbuilding is 98 percent complete.
In a scathing statement, Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed his exasperation at yet another setback for the Ford, which has had $2.3 billion in cost overruns to boost the estimated final cost to $13 billion.
Another delivery delay "further demonstrates that key systems still have not demonstrated expected performance," McCain said. "The advanced arresting gear [AAG] cannot recover airplanes. Advanced weapons elevators cannot lift munitions. The dual-band radar cannot integrate two radar bands. Even if everything goes according to the Navy's plan, CVN-78 will be delivered with multiple systems unproven.
"This situation is unacceptable and was entirely preventable," McCain said. "The Ford-class program is a case study in why our acquisition system must be reformed."
The 1,100-foot Ford will be the first in a new class of supercarriers intended to replace the Nimitz-class carriers. The Ford has a hull design similar to the Nimitz carriers but will introduce new technologies such as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System in place of steam catapults and other improvements meant to reduce operating costs and crew requirements.
@SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas , Capt Christopher Mueller , CPT (Join to see) , COL Mikel J. Burroughs , Sgt Joe LaBranche , SSgt (Join to see), TSgt Hunter Logan Capt Seid Waddell SrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F. PO2 Ed C. PO2 Mark Saffell MSG Tom Earley PVT James Strait Alan K. @po1 william "chip" PO1 William "Chip" Nagel @SGT John McConnell SGT John " Mac " McConnell
Delivery of New Carrier Ford to Navy Delayed Yet Again
Posted from military.com
Equipment
Technology
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
4
4
0
As somebody who shares the same name as the former President I am both thankful that the ship will not be launched until major problems are resolved and tired of modifications that are not very well thought through SP5 Mark Kuzinski
When I was a cadet at West Point in the late 1970s and made collect phone calls home [cell phones, PCs, tablets were not available then] I was interested when after I said my name operators asked if I was "the Stephen Ford" as far as I knew I was. They seemed to be impressed. later I learned that Gerald Ford's son Stephen Ford was semi-famous soap opera star. When we are young we think we are more unique than we tend to be - to all but God who knows us and knows how unique we really are. :-)
LTC Stephen C. CW5 (Join to see) CSM Charles Hayden SGM Steve Wettstein SFC William Swartz Jr SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) Sgt Joe LaBranche SGT Randal Groover SGT (Join to see) CPL Patrick Brewbaker SrA Christopher Wright PO1 John Miller SPC (Join to see) PO3 Steven Sherrill SPC Corbin Sayi SN Greg Wright SSG Leonard J W. SGT Robert Hawks
When I was a cadet at West Point in the late 1970s and made collect phone calls home [cell phones, PCs, tablets were not available then] I was interested when after I said my name operators asked if I was "the Stephen Ford" as far as I knew I was. They seemed to be impressed. later I learned that Gerald Ford's son Stephen Ford was semi-famous soap opera star. When we are young we think we are more unique than we tend to be - to all but God who knows us and knows how unique we really are. :-)
LTC Stephen C. CW5 (Join to see) CSM Charles Hayden SGM Steve Wettstein SFC William Swartz Jr SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) Sgt Joe LaBranche SGT Randal Groover SGT (Join to see) CPL Patrick Brewbaker SrA Christopher Wright PO1 John Miller SPC (Join to see) PO3 Steven Sherrill SPC Corbin Sayi SN Greg Wright SSG Leonard J W. SGT Robert Hawks
(4)
(0)
2
2
0
1
1
0
It took about seven years to build the Nimitz, and about six to build Bush so it seems to be on par with normal build times for a carrier.
First in class always have problems during and after construction. Still not sure why the Navy doesn't build new technologies into proven hulls, then build a new hull with the proven technology.
First in class always have problems during and after construction. Still not sure why the Navy doesn't build new technologies into proven hulls, then build a new hull with the proven technology.
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google