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xchrom

(108,903 posts) Mon Oct 21, 2013, 08:47 AM Oct 2013

US Navy's New Aircraft Carriers Will Be Massive 'Floating Cities'

http://www.livescience.com/40539-ford-aircraft-carriers.html

?1382114651
The USS Gerald R. Ford represents the next-generation class of aircraft carriers. The 1,100-foot-long (335-meter-long) ship features a series of technological advances, including upgraded nuclear power plants, electromagnetic catapults and a larger flight deck to accommodate more carrier-launched, unmanned drones. The USS Gerald R. Ford is scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2015.

The U.S. Navy is upgrading its fleet of aircraft carriers with a series of next-generation ships that will be able to accommodate new technologies, including more unmanned, carrier-launched drones.

The new Ford-class aircraft carriers are the first new designs for these types of warships since the USS Nimitz was built in the late 1960s. The sheer size of aircraft carriers, and the number of onboard facilities, earned these ships the nickname of "floating cities."

The first Ford-class ship, the newly complete USS Gerald R. Ford, will enter the water on Nov. 9, as part of a special christening ceremony. The USS Ford is expected to formally enter service in the U.S. Navy in 2016.

The Ford-class carriers feature a suite of upgraded technologies, including the latest radar systems and more efficient nuclear power plants. The ship also has a larger flight deck than previous designs and three aircraft elevators. These advancements will enable the Ford-class carriers to conduct 25 percent more flight missions than their predecessors, the Nimitz-class warships.

The super ship fit for a superpower: America's $13billion aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford capable of launching 220 airstrikes a day rises from its dry docks

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2439212/The-super-ship-fit-superpower-Americas-13billion-aircraft-carrier-USS-Gerald-R-Ford-capable-launching-220-airstrikes-day-rises-dry-docks.html#ixzz2iMO7Lfyw
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2439212/The-super-ship-fit-superpower-Americas-13billion-aircraft-carrier-USS-Gerald-R-Ford-capable-launching-220-airstrikes-day-rises-dry-docks.html

The $13billion USS Gerald R. Ford will be one of the most fearsome weapons in the Pentagon's arsenal

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2439212/The-super-ship-fit-superpower-Americas-13billion-aircraft-carrier-USS-Gerald-R-Ford-capable-launching-220-airstrikes-day-rises-dry-docks.html#ixzz2iMOLamTK

When finished, the giant 1,106-foot USS Gerald R. Ford will be able to launch 220 airstrikes per day from its two runways, hold 4,000 sailors and marines, and be virtually invisible to enemy radar.
The Navy also plans to buy another three such carriers, at a cost of $43 billion, to complete its fleet

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2439212/The-super-ship-fit-superpower-Americas-13billion-aircraft-carrier-USS-Gerald-R-Ford-capable-launching-220-airstrikes-day-rises-dry-docks.html#ixzz2iMOU7n9z
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12 replies

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Highlight:

US Navy's New Aircraft Carriers Will Be Massive 'Floating Cities' (Original Post) xchrom Oct 2013 OP

USS Gerald R. Ford? trumad Oct 2013 #1

! xchrom Oct 2013 #3

Gerald Ford was most likely our most athletic president hack89 Oct 2013 #7

Your tax dollars at work! nt Logical Oct 2013 #2

simple, shameful waste of money. KG Oct 2013 #4

Increased automation will result in lower operational costs Lurks Often Oct 2013 #5

It's about time that we spent some money on our military Orrex Oct 2013 #6

right? xchrom Oct 2013 #8

"What could possibly go wrong?" - Gerry F. (R - Chevy Chase) Berlum Oct 2013 #9

article is a little behind angrychair Oct 2013 #10

If the next three are projected at $43 Billion, that's at today's dollars. lpbk2713 Oct 2013 #11

Will they have luxury suites for the uber-wealthy to escape to when the proles get restless? hunter Oct 2013 #12

trumad

(41,692 posts)

1. USS Gerald R. Ford?

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:10 AM

Oct 2013

It will probably run aground in the first week.

xchrom

(108,903 posts)

3. !

Reply to trumad (Reply #1)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:19 AM

Oct 2013

hack89

(39,171 posts)

7. Gerald Ford was most likely our most athletic president

Reply to trumad (Reply #1)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:26 AM

Oct 2013

A star football player at the University of Michigan and an excellent golfer his entire life.

Logical

(22,457 posts)

2. Your tax dollars at work! nt

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:12 AM

Oct 2013

KG

(28,753 posts)

4. simple, shameful waste of money.

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:20 AM

Oct 2013

Lurks Often

(5,455 posts)

5. Increased automation will result in lower operational costs

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:21 AM

Oct 2013

The designed lifespan of a carrier is 50 years, that is one of the main drivers of the cost, along with the nuclear power plant and all the electronics. This results in a large capital expense, however the decreased crew size and other improvements are supposed to reduce the yearly operating cost and overall lifetime cost.

Orrex

(63,225 posts)

6. It's about time that we spent some money on our military

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:26 AM

Oct 2013

I for one am sick to death with all of this "feed our children" and "care for our seniors" crap we've been dealing with for the past few decades.

xchrom

(108,903 posts)

8. right?

Reply to Orrex (Reply #6)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:28 AM

Oct 2013

Berlum

(7,044 posts)

9. "What could possibly go wrong?" - Gerry F. (R - Chevy Chase)

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:29 AM

Oct 2013

angrychair

(8,733 posts)

10. article is a little behind

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:49 AM

Oct 2013

The Ford is the first in a new class of carriers....the "Ford" class (the Bush was the last of the Nimitz class). The Ford, despite the older images in the articles, is built. Newport News Shipbuilding, the only builder of nuclear-powered carriers in the world, has already started building the next carrier, the Kennedy (the older Kennedy was already decommissioned).

lpbk2713

(42,766 posts)

11. If the next three are projected at $43 Billion, that's at today's dollars.

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 09:59 AM

Oct 2013

Knowing the way Congress, the Pentagon and the MIC do business,
it would more likely be in the neighborhood of $80 Billion.

hunter

(38,328 posts)

12. Will they have luxury suites for the uber-wealthy to escape to when the proles get restless?

Reply to xchrom (Original post)

Mon Oct 21, 2013, 10:46 AM

Oct 2013

I'm picturing Romney in a suite with a private balcony and Papa John in the galley making pizzas, reminiscing about the old days before "dirty peasants" occupied their mansions and put their fine horses to work pulling carts a plows.

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