Nation’s new aircraft carrier heads to sea for more tests

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.