Calling all Gerald R. Ford-class CVN fans

[USN_Matt]

Well to be more specific, all modern carriers. I see mainly about WWII CVs and thought i would start one about more current times!

To start off, what are ya'lls thoughts about the Gerald R Ford(CVN-78) class carrier?

Carriers of the Ford class will incorporate fourteen new design features including:

Advanced arresting gear.
Automation, which reduces crew requirements by several hundred from the Nimitz class carrier.
The updated RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missile system.
AN/SPY-3 dual-band radar (DBR), as developed for Zumwalt class destroyers.
An Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) in place of traditional steam catapults for launching aircraft.
A new nuclear reactor design (the A1B reactor) for greater power generation.
Stealthier features to help reduce radar profile.
The ability to launch the F-35C Lightning II.
The US Navy believes that with the addition of the most modern equipment and extensive use of automation, it will be able to reduce the crew requirement and the total cost of future aircraft carriers. The primary recognition feature compared to earlier supercarriers will be the more aft location of the navigation "island".

Displacement: 100,000 long tons (approximately 101,600 metric tons or 112,000 short tons)
Length: 1,092 ft (333 m)
Beam: 134 ft (41 m)
Propulsion: 2 A1B nuclear reactors
Speed: 30+ knots (34 mph - 56 km/h)
Complement: 4,660
Armament: Surface-to-air missiles
Close-in weapons systems
Aircraft carried: More than 75
Aviation facilities: 1,092 � 256 foot (333 � 78 m) flight deck

The Ford class of carriers will be capable of carrying about 90 aircraft including the F-35 joint strike fighter, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, C-2A Greyhound, MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopters and unmanned combat air vehicles such as the X-47 Pegasus.[4]

Also what do you think should be the names of CVN-79 and CVN-80? I think one of them should be named the Uss Barak Obama! Thats just what i think though!

[G-Rider]

If there ever is a name deserving to be given a new aircraft carrier, I nominate Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was a great US President, supporter of the US Navy and a wartime leader. A carrier named USS Franklin D. Roosevelt is long overdue, CV-42 having been stricken in 1977 and later scrapped.

GR

[Sr. Gopher]

CVN-80, I'd go with...the USS Halsey. Though there is the Burke-class version, I thinkk it is suiting that one of the most ambitious, CV-6 supporting (my favorite part about him) commanders in USN history deserves more than just a destroyer. Nimitz may have been in complete control, but Halsey and Mitscher were the ones actually doing the dirty work. Just saying though...

[Bsklarski]

I think one should have the name Edward M. Kennedy. His brother had a carrier, but what he has done over the years, he should have one named after him

[EJM]

This forum already has a thread about Nimitz carriers here:
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=4705&start=0
Although the title for that thread seems to have mysteriously vanished?

Perhaps a Mod or Admin can lock this current thread and you can continue discussions in the older thread.

[Timmy C]

Thanks for finding that, EJ - I thought we had a Nimitz thread already, but couldn't find it listed - no doubted connected with the lack of title! Anyway, that's now been fixed and we'll resume the Nimitz thread there. This thread will now be for the Ford class.

[G-Rider]

I think the original title of this thread was "Calling all CVN fans", May 8, 2010.

GR

[G-Rider]

I think one should have the name Edward M. Kennedy. His brother had a carrier, but what he has done over the years, he should have one named after him

In my frank opinion, I would like to see a VA Hospital or a large military Regional Medical Center, or university-based medical school named for the late Senator Kennedy. He is more deserving to be remembered for his legislative contributions to health care above everything else. And it would be a more distinctive honor for him than just another carrier.

GR

[Cliffy B]

Who's up for returning to the old ways when it comes to carrier names instead of using politicians?

*Note, this is not intended to start a political flame war*

[Sr. Gopher]

I am!!!! Especially considering that the name of the Ford class was almost the Enterprise class!!

[USN_Matt]

I would rather see this new class honoring the the original aircraft carriers names. Who cares about politicians? I mean who in the world is this... Gerald Ford anywho? just kidding. I hears somewhere they are tryin to push the next aircraft carrier to be named the Uss Arizona or the Uss America. I would go for Uss America and make one of the new SSBN being built the Arizona.

[Briansklarski]

Well seeing how the trend is to name carriers after politicians...What about naming them after states? Since the BB's are all gone, they can use what ever state they want now. Another thought is now the space shuttles are being retired, I think some of those names would sound OK.

[Cliffy B]

States are currently being used by the new Virginia Class SSNs plus the boomers so... If Enterprise is really due to be decommed in the next few years then the next CVN should definitely be Enterprise! America would be a close second but the new LHA already has that. Lexington and Langley would be fitting as well. Too bad Independence had to become an LCS, always loved the flat tops Indys

[Timmy C]

Ok guys, please keep this thread on the topic of the Ford class CVNs If you wish to continue the name discussion, please start a thread in the Main Forum or in History and Technology, where it's always a popular topic!

[USN_Matt]

Alright i guess i will keep this thread on its original topic!

I seriously thought that the designers of the Ford class were actually gunna go through making it a stealth carrier. I saw plans and designs on what they planned to do with this class and I am glad they didnt! The stealth carrier design would have cost us probably an additional 3 billion to the already 8 billion dollar ship(before the R&D cost with makes it 14 billion for the lead ship).

[Guest]

I attended the CVN 77 GHW Bush commissioning in Jan last year and saw the graving dock where the GRF was still in pieces at the base....... the Electro Magnetic Catapult project is shelved as unworkable and unreliable and it will have the same steam cats as CVN 77. There will be exterior changes of course, probably and enclosed mast system like the LPDs, but some stuff will just still have to hang out from the island . The return to the standard cats has caused a major redesign delay. The rest is wait and see....

[USN_Matt]

Really? I heard the electro magnetic cat was unreliable but i gues it will have to wait till the next ship in the class maybe. Do you know how much is completed on the GRF?

[USS California BB44]

I wonder how long it will be until we see around 1,000 1-700 Fords and one 1-350?

[navydavesof]

Well, hey, guys! Great getting started with the names. How much fun! I am in favor of the old carrier names That would be fan-tastic.

So, who is up for building a model of this baby? I think starting off with a Nimitz kit is the way to start.

Now, get ready for some of the coolest pictures of the Ford! Computer models with environment!

This is a pretty neat looking island and mast. How cool.

Does anyone have much of a desire to build one of these up? I am looking forward to seeing ESSM VLS on those sponsons!

[USS California BB44]

Same here we need to start over the list. Langley, Lexington, Saratoga etc..