CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford
IOC: September 2015
Total Production: 11
Total Program's Cost: USD$35 billion
Unitary Cost: USD$12.0 billion
Also Known As
CVN 21 (US Navy's early designation)
Origin
United States of America
Program Status:
Under Construction
Contractor/s
Northrop Grumman
Aircraft, Vehicles & Crafts:
F-35C Lightning II
F/A-18E Super Hornet
F/A-18F Super Hornet
Sensors & Communications:
DBR
Protection Systems:
MFEW
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Description:
The CVN 21 is a new class of aircraft carrier considered as a Nimitz class follow-on designed to operate well into the 21st century and to survive to the next generation threats. It will be very automated reducing crew workload and increasing efficiency.
The CVN 21 aircraft carrier will feature an entirely new nuclear propulsion plant with fewer operators and lowering life cycle costs. The ship will replace current steam systems with electrical auxiliaries. The new carrier will be provided with new sensors, a new safer aircraft recovery system, and other systems that will reduce operational costs and workload.
The US Navy plans to procure two CVN carriers through 2018. In 2018 the US Navy will aircraft carrier fleet will consists of 10 Nimitz class and 2 CVN 21 class carriers. A third CVN 21 class carrier could be commissioned in 2025 replacing the CVN 68 USS Nimitz aircraft carrier.
On May 21, 2004, Northrop-Grumman Newport News was awarded a three-year $1.4 billion preparation construction contract of CVN 21 aircraft carrier. This contract covers risk reduction, material procurement, design and engineering through fiscal year 2007. Each ship of the class is valued at approximately $8 billion.
Construction of the lead ship will begin in 2007 and it will be commissioned by the US Navy in 2014. It will feature an enhanced flight deck, improved weapons movement, a redesigned island, a new nuclear power plant and reduced manning. It is expected that CVN 21 class ships characteristics will ease new technologies insertion workload.
The program entered into the system development and demonstration phase in April 2004, and the scope of the program was expanded including three carriers instead of two as planned early and the program total value raising to $31.75 billion.
The Raytheon company was selected as the CVN-78's industry lead integrator for warfare systems integration of all onboard weapon systems and electronics operations on April 14, 2005. The CVN-78 aircraft carrier will include Raytheon's Total Ship System Engineering approach to a common enterprise computing environment that maximizes multi-mission capabilities.
Specifications
Performance: Service Life 50 yr
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Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)
Last Updated: Saturday, December 20, 2008
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