The USS Gerald R. Ford: the Most Expensive and Largest Carrier EVER Built

The Gerald R. Ford stands as the most expensive and largest carrier ever constructed, initially estimated at $13 billion in 2005, which later ballooned to $14 billion by 2009.

This supercarrier boasts a displacement of about 112,000 short tons (100,000 metric tons) and impressive dimensions: a length of 1,106 feet (337 meters), a 134-foot (41 meters) waterline beam, a 256-foot (78 meters) flight deck beam, and towering at nearly 250 feet (76 meters) above the waterline.

Gerald R. Ford, along with her sister ships, carries an impressive arsenal, including F-35C Joint Strike Fighters, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler electronic attack jets, E-2D Hawkeye airborne early-warning and control aircraft, C-2 Greyhound carrier onboard delivery (COD) planes, MH-60S Seahawk helicopters, MQ-25 Stingray refueling and intelligence collection drones, and potentially a new long-range strike drone.

Accommodating 4,539 personnel, this carrier represents a significant leap in technology with its redesigned flight deck, computer-aided design, and advanced Bechtel A1B reactors, generating 600 megawatts of electricity – enough to power 260,000 detached houses. It also boasts the groundbreaking Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear for launching and recovering aircraft, along with cutting-edge radar systems, missile launchers, and self-defense weaponry. The addition of laser self-defense weapons makes it a crucial asset against hypersonic ship killer missiles from adversaries like China and Russia, raising the Navy's carrier force to eleven ships with its active service.

[carmengrrr]

It is a floating piece of america that can get close to any country. Any other questions?

[darius]

That's a huge target, hard to miss

[pauljacobs]

Dont forget abt the submarines following it as support

[tonybuono-xc]

They wish can't be defeated, it's only a dream.

[LarryCrum-wb]

How far apart is each ship from each other and how close are they to the Ford

[eddyperez]

When Russia and china can not spend on an aircraft carrier, they make anti aircraft carrier (ACC) missiles . For every ACC Russia has 1000 anti ACC missiles. So what the fuss dude.

[herdsmen]

Anything can be destroyed, and you are fool to think differently.

[dac]

it's the most technological advanced carrier no doubt, but China and Russia can launch its $30000 drones endlessly accompanied by the hypersonic missile; the strategic value of carrier is diminishing nowadays.

[andreww]

I believe we’re the second largest navy by boat number

[ScottSummerill]

And a SITTING DUCK. Will be sunk in the early hours of any conflict. And then what?

[bear]

So to the Russian / China simps who are all "haha comrade but we have hypersonics"
So the Carrier never goes ANYWHERE by itself and is part of a battle group. The battle group is like an onion with lots of layers. On the outside layers you have nuclear attack subs also in the outer layer you have Airborne Early warning radars which scan the area while the carrier and it's escorts are silent. If a threat is detected the inner layers of ships send off up to a hundred or more surface to air missiles capable of taking down both planes and hypersonics.
I know you guys are sll excited with that new word but that tech we pioneered in the 50s. Our missiles can shoot down mach 25 ICBMs tou think we cant hit something 4x slower?

LOL

[hoppercar]

My niece helped design the ford....it's a floating piece of junk to dependant on untested new technology

[lawrenceng]

The EMALS are not even working properly lol😂

[silentghost]

yet us navy was sunk by swedish sumbarine which did not even had nuclear reactor engine XD

[itchtravel]

Aircraft Carriers are now obsolete because of Aircraft Killer Hypersonic Missiles DF21.

[carlosmartinezjacquet]

A couple of Russian hypersonic missiles and go find its pieces in the sea bottom

[RuwantiMataBasulto]

Que cuarto lugar primer porque la marina de los eeua es la mejor
👍💪🌎🇺🇸🗽🇺🇲

[koonsiang]

It is a fact now in terms of aircraft carriers. However China is only 5 years behind. They won’t take 8 years to build their first nuclear powered aircraft carrier. And they have not only electromagnetic catapults, it’s better designed in using DC instead of AC. So when China launches its nuclear aircraft carrier it would be superior to the Gerald Ford in technology and maybe even size

[gerlachsieders]

Next video up: why the USS Gerald Ford can not match the Swedish Gotland class submarines, go ask it's sibling the USS Ronald Reagan, so much for naval supremacy 😂