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Nation’s new aircraft carrier heads to sea for more tests
Original Publication Date: October 25, 2019 3:12AM
Publication Updated: April 19, 2025 2:29PM
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The nation’s newest aircraft carrier has headed out to sea for more tests after it underwent a series of upgrades and fixes at a Virginia shipyard.
The Navy said in a statement that the USS Gerald R. Ford departed Friday after spending 15 months at Newport News Shipbuilding.
The $13 billion carrier has drawn criticism from government watchdogs and members of Congress for delays and glitches involving its cutting-edge systems. But Navy officials and some experts have said problems are expected on the first ship in a new class.
Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer said in a statement that the USS Ford reached a “great milestone” but acknowledged there “is more work to do.”
The ship is designed to carry a wider variety of aircraft with several hundred fewer sailors.
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