New Gerald R. Ford-class of aircraft carriers to be named after Clinton and Bush
United States (US) President Joe Biden has formally announced that Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers will be named after former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
Construction of USS William J. Clinton (CVN 82) and USS George W. Bush (CVN 83) will begin in the years ahead and once completed will join USS Gerald R. Ford as active aircraft carriers patrolling the world’s oceans.
President Biden said on January 13, 2024, that he personally delivered the news to his predecessors and that they were both “deeply humbled” by the news.
“Each knows firsthand the weight of the responsibilities that come with being Commander-in-Chief. And both know well our duty to support the families and loved ones who wait and worry for the safe return of their servicemember,” said President Biden.
President Clinton served two terms between 1993 to 2001 and was then replaced by President Bush from 2001 to 2009.
“President Clinton and President Bush led the United States through some of the most challenging moments in U.S. history,” said Secretary Del Toro. “Their legacies will endure through these aircraft carriers, which serve as formidable platforms dedicated to safeguarding our national security and strengthening our resolve to protect this Nation against any who would threaten our freedoms and way of life,” said Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro.
The Gerald R. Ford-class is the replacement for Enterprise and Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.
The lead ship, USS Gerald R. Ford was commissioned in 2017 and will be followed by USS John F. Kennedy in 2025.
The third commissioned Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier will be USS Enterprise and the fourth has been named USS Doris Miller.
The Ford-class is designed to operate effectively with almost 600 fewer crew members than a Nimitz-class ship.
According to the US Navy, USS Gerald R. Ford is the first aircraft carrier designed with “all electric utilities, eliminating steam service lines from the ship, reducing maintenance requirements and improving corrosion control”.
“The new A1B reactor, Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and Dual Band Radar (DBR) all offer enhanced capability with reduced manning. The Gerald R. Ford-class is designed to maximize the striking power of the embarked carrier air wing. The ship’s systems and configuration are optimized to maximize the sortie generation rate (SGR) of embarked strike aircraft, resulting in a 33 percent increase in SGR over the Nimitz-class,” the US Navy said.
RELATED
US Navy to integrate LRASM anti-ship missile on F-15E/F-15EX fighters
The post New Gerald R. Ford-class of aircraft carriers to be named after Clinton and Bush appeared first on AeroTime.
United States (US) President Joe Biden has formally announced that Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers will be…
The post New Gerald R. Ford-class of aircraft carriers to be named after Clinton and Bush appeared first on AeroTime.
