Why the Navy thinks the carrier Gerald R. Ford will work after all

[rangerrebew]

Why the Navy thinks the carrier Gerald R. Ford will work after all
By: Mark D. Faram  

The technology glitches plaguing the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, lead ship of the Navy’s next generation of flattops, are getting fixed, officials told lawmakers during a Tuesday hearing on Capitol Hill.

The combination punch of good news at the Senate Armed Services' Seapower Subcommittee included testimony that the Navy has recorded significant cost savings during the building of the John F. Kennedy, the next Ford-class carrier, and is prepping to purchase two similar flattops in fiscal 2020.

Pressed by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., on possible problems with the Ford’s advanced weapons elevators, James F. Geurts — assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition — predicted the Ford would leave the Newport News Shipbuilding yard with a working system for delivering ordnance to the flight deck.

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/11/28/why-the-navy-thinks-the-carrier-gerald-r-ford-will-work-after-all/

[thackney]

Related:

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/08/10/hail-and-farewell-carrier-ford-changes-command/

...McCormack’s crew spent 81 days at sea testing the Ford, the newest class of American carriers in four decades. One of their most rewarding moments came when they discovered that the shipboard Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System — called “EMALS” — and its companion Advanced Arresting Gear worked well.

The electronic EMALs had drawn the ire of President Donald Trump, who decried the system as an example of military waste. He voiced his support for the old-fashioned steam-driven catapults.

Although commanders planned on only 400 launches and arrested aircraft landings during the Ford’s maiden year of operations, EMALs worked so well that they pushed testing far higher. The crew tallied 747 launches and recoveries, seven of them made by McCormack himself, a career F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter pilot.

“It’s shows your crew that you have confidence in them and in the equipment to have them shoot you off the bow and bring you back aboard from the stern,” said McCormack, a California native who also served as a test pilot....

[Frank Cannon]

Ford class carrier? Does it fall over as the planes are being disembarked?

[sneakypete]

The Navy thinks they are going to work because they have no other option than downsize if it doesn't.

The truth is we don't really need a Navy the size of the one we have now,and haven't since WW-2. They don't do much but ride around in boats and burn taxpayers dollars.

[GtHawk]

Ford class carrier? Does it fall over as the planes are being disembarked?

I don't know, but think how awesome it would be if there was an ordnance fired from the ships that was code named 'PINTO".

[sneakypete]

I don't know, but think how awesome it would be if there was an ordnance fired from the ships that was code named 'PINTO".

@GtHawk

They could always bring back the old WW-2 era battleships. They fired shells that roughly weighed as much as a Pinto.

[GtHawk]

@GtHawk

They could always bring back the old WW-2 era battleships. They fired shells that roughly weighed as much as a Pinto.

Well, the shells and Pintos both had something in common................they both explode on contact 

[sneakypete]

Well, the shells and Pintos both had something in common................they both explode on contact 

@GtHawk

Pretty much Ralph Nader BullBush. Pintos were excellent and reliable little cars for them money. You could buy one new for 2300 bucks,and get 30+ mpg while driving it 200,000 miles with no major problems. I personally knew several people that did just that.

[GtHawk]

@GtHawk

Pretty much Ralph Nader BullBush. Pintos were excellent and reliable little cars for them money. You could buy one new for 2300 bucks,and get 30+ mpg while driving it 200,000 miles with no major problems. I personally knew several people that did just that.

@sneakypete
Yeah Nader was a piece of work, went after the Corvair and if I recall GM had already redesigned the problem, but not a word about VW bugs or vans that were bigger death traps.

[sneakypete]

@sneakypete
Yeah Nader was a piece of work, went after the Corvair and if I recall GM had already redesigned the problem, but not a word about VW bugs or vans that were bigger death traps.

@GtHawk

That was because all the sophisticated lefties drove German cars in the 60's.

BTW,Nader owned and drove a 58 Ford and lived in in DC in a VERY expensive condo he bought in his sister's name. The small apartment he claimed to live in was a rented prop to make it look like he spent all his dono's money on political causes.