For the first time in over four decades, the US Navy is about to deploy a first-in-class supercarrier.
Next week, the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford will leave for its first deployment.
Four years have passed since the ship was supposed to deploy.
The lead ship of a new class of advanced US Navy aircraft carriers is about to set sail on its first deployment after years of costly setbacks and delays that have at times made it the target of fierce criticism.
The first-in-class aircraft carrier, which was commissioned over five years ago and has been over a decade in the making, will deploy for the first time next week.
Thousands of personnel, 17 ships, one submarine, and at least 60 aircraft from nine countries will participate in military exercises in the Atlantic during the Ford's time at sea.
Tensions between the US and Russia are growing while competition at sea is increasing. The Navy established 2nd Fleet in order to address emerging challenges in the region.
The Atlantic, especially for the US 2nd Fleet headquarters, is an area of strategic importance, not only for the US and our allies and partners, but also for homeland defense.
He said that in this era of strategic competition, we can't assume that geography provides us with the protection and standoff that we've had in the past.
Emphasizing the role of training with allies and partners in advance of collective security, the admiral said that not only is this a historic deployment for our first Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier.
During the upcoming deployment, which is aimed at giving the ship a chance to find its footing before a more extensive operational deployment next year, Carrier Strike Group 12 will deploy under the control of the Chief of Naval Operations and the command of US 2nd Fleet.
Combatant commanders usually direct deployed assets. Bryan Clark, a former Navy officer and defense expert at the Hudson Institute, said that a service-retained deployment is an opportunity to figure out what is the best way to use the ship.
Generations of sailors have come up with a single type of carrier. The new ship is completely different in terms of how quickly it can get its planes airborne.
The Navy's focus has been on testing and getting the basics established, so there are a lot of new opportunities that the Navy has not had a chance to work through. The question is what are the best ways to exploit the new capabilities since everything works on the ship.
While trying to meet a combatant command's operational demands, the Navy wouldn't want to experiment. Even proven gear and systems can be broken by those types of deployment.
"When we go out and sail on the high seas, it is a thing to launch and recover aircraft every single day, to have the battle rhythm of command and control throughout the carrier strike group," the Ford's commanding officer said. All that will be refined with our team.
"We're going to eat three square meals a day, we're going to fly aircraft, we're going to do air defense, and we're going to do long range maritime strike," he said.
It's a stepping-stone approach from my point of view. The captain said that it was a chance for the team to find areas where they could improve.
The crew will be looking at areas where they can take their technology to the next level.
The deployment is an opportunity for the Navy to come together with other members of the NATO alliance to exercise and train within the Atlantic and its littorals while testing out advanced technologies on the first new class of US aircraft carrier in more than four decades.
The Gerald R. Ford is the first ship in the class that will include at least three other ships.
The last time a first-in-class US Navy supercarrier was deployed was in 1975.
The first carrier class to use nuclear power is the first-in-class, the Gerald R. Ford.
Improved sortie generation and better aircraft launch and recovery can be achieved with onboard systems. Over 10,000 catapult launches and carrier landings have been done by the Ford's crew.
Problems with the weapons elevators, catapult malfunction, and other issues have plagued the Ford over the years.
Elaine Luria, a Virginia Democrat and Navy veteran, criticized the sea service and shipbuilders for their handling of the project after the carrier was first expected to deploy.
The risk of this carrier being delivered late and over budget was acknowledged by the chief of naval operations last year.
The carrier is ready to go to work. The commander of the Ford Carrier Strike Group told USNI News last year that everything is on schedule.
After the Navy blew up multiple 40,000-pound bombs near the Ford to test its ability to handle the shock of combat, his comments came as the Navy made needed repairs.
The admiral said that getting the Ford-class out there with its capabilities would increase the number of carriers and carrier strike groups.
"When you combine that with the projected increase in what the Ford should be able to do, that's going to give the combatant commanders and other people with more options and more things at their fingertips," he said.
Business Insider has an article on it.
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