It’s the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the most expensive and most advanced warship ever built. The ship was christened in November 2013 and is scheduled to be commissioned this month.

 

The Naval behemoth can house more than 4,500 people and weighs 90,000 tons. The CVN-78 is the lead ship in the Ford class of aircraft carriers, replacing some of the U.S. Navy’s existing Nimitz-class carriers. At first glance, both classes have a similar-looking hull, but the Ford class introduces a series of technical innovations designed to improve carrier’s operating efficiency, and reduce operating costs and crew requirements.

 

As expected, the CVN-78 has impressive power. The ship is powered by two Bechtel A1B nuclear reactors, each capable of producing 300 megawatts of electricity, triple that of Nimitz-class reactors. Those changes resulted in a two-thirds reduction of watchstanding requirements and a big decrease in required maintenance.

 

With great power comes great firepower. Only half of the power-generating capability on the CVN-78 is needed to run currently planned systems, including EMALS. The CVN-78 will thus have the power reserves that the Nimitz class lacks to sport even more futuristic armaments and systems, such as free-electron lasers and dynamic armor, at some point in the future.

 

The lasers can be fired at just a few dollars per shot and consume around 10 megawatts of power.

 

 

US Navy's new $13 billion aircraft carrier will dominate the seas

My question is...what does North Korea's latest and greatest air craft carrier look like?

Only problem with our naval force in the future is going to be the hunk of junk they are going to be forced to fly off the deck of these ships eventually, the F-35.

 

The F-35: Still Failing to Impress

First carrier without steam catapult also, using electromagnetic launch system for aircraft.

 

2nd ship in the class will be the JFK due to launch around 2020.

Only problem with our naval force in the future is going to be the hunk of junk they are going to be forced to fly off the deck of these ships eventually, the F-35.

 

The F-35: Still Failing to Impress

 

Yes the F35 has been underwhelming. F22 is a much better system albeit much more expensive.

Yes the F35 has been underwhelming. F22 is a much better system albeit much more expensive.

 

 

That is an understatement. Given what has been poured into the F-35 program at this point we probably could have gotten both the F-22 and the F-23 and still saved money given how much funding has been poured into this bureaucratic boondoggle.

That is an understatement. Given what has been poured into the F-35 program at this point we probably could have gotten both the F-22 and the F-23 and still saved money given how much funding has been poured into this bureaucratic boondoggle.

Yep, makes you realize how scarily accurate the movie "Pentagon Wars" was.

With great power comes great firepower. Only half of the power-generating capability on the CVN-78 is needed to run currently planned systems, including EMALS. The CVN-78 will thus have the power reserves that the Nimitz class lacks to sport even more futuristic armaments and systems, such as free-electron lasers and dynamic armor, at some point in the future.

So at some point in the future we could have a Captain say, "Raise the shields"? That would be AWESOME!!! FWIW I think the first Carrier to get this should have been named the Enterprise...but oh well.

 

Dynamic Armor as relates to Carriers will be an electrified shield that ionize explosive particles before they could reach the ships hull or surface.

So at some point in the future we could have a Captain say, "Raise the shields"? That would be AWESOME!!! FWIW I think the first Carrier to get this should have been named the Enterprise...but oh well.

 

Dynamic Armor as relates to Carriers will be an electrified shield that ionize explosive particles before they could reach the ships hull or surface.

 

You could tell me they were working on just about anything over at DARPA and I'd believe you. Those guys do some amazing things.

You could tell me they were working on just about anything over at DARPA and I'd believe you. Those guys do some amazing things.

 

Yeah, they are doing some crazy stuff down at the Oak Ridge National Lab. "Cloaking" for instance is far enough along that several years ago they spoke openly about it to kids on a school field trip. The told them the biggest issue they were having was getting rid of the shadows, not hiding the Tank or whatever, just hiding the shadows.

 

If I could have my Dream Job and Fighter Pilot wasn't available, DARPA would be my next pick.

Edited March 11, 201610 yr by Jumper_Dad

So at some point in the future we could have a Captain say, "Raise the shields"? That would be AWESOME!!! FWIW I think the first Carrier to get this should have been named the Enterprise...but oh well.

 

Dynamic Armor as relates to Carriers will be an electrified shield that ionize explosive particles before they could reach the ships hull or surface.

 

I would bet every penny I have, which isn't many, the dynamic armor technology came from reverse engineering recovered UFOs.

My question is...what does North Korea's latest and greatest air craft carrier look like?

 

Of course the new carrier is awesome but both China and Russia reportedly have Carrier Killing ICBMs that can take out an entire Carrier Battle Group if they are in close proximity to each other.

 

American Aegis Equipped Cruisers carry anti ICBM Missiles, so I'd guess you'll never see this or any carrier without one of those very close by.

I would bet every penny I have, which isn't many, the dynamic armor technology came from reverse engineering recovered UFOs.

 

Nah. Just read the technical manuals for the NCC-1701-D.

I would bet every penny I have, which isn't many, the dynamic armor technology came from reverse engineering recovered UFOs.

 

You crack me up