Navy Preps its New USS Ford Carrier for Massive, High-Speed Attacks

Warrior Video Above: Navy Capt. Describes How The USS Ford Can Launch Massive, High-Speed Air Attacks

By Kris Osborn – Warrior Maven

(Washington, D.C.) Navy weapons developers say the service’s emerging Ford-class carriers are engineered for the purpose of enabling a high volume of high-speed, overwhelming air attacks in rapid succession, as compared to today’s Nimitz-class carriers ….all due to new technologies and the design configuration of the platforms.

The Ford carriers, now on the cusp of entering operational service, are built with a larger deck space to enable a higher sortie rate for attack missions. In addition, there are other technologies built into the Ford class that create the opportunity to quickly rearm and refuel fighters, rapidly sending them back into the air for further attack missions, Capt. Ron Rutan, CVN 78 (USS Ford) Program Manager, said in January at the 32nd annual Surface Navy Association symposium, Arlington, Va.

“On Nimitz-class carriers, if you have a bunch of aircraft on the deck edge, you have to bring fuel lines to those aircraft and the other aircraft cannot transit. It creates a lot of logistical problems,” Rutan explained.

Ford class carriers however, as explained by Rutan, are built such that multiple planes can be rearmed, refueled and sent back to war — much faster.

“On Ford, the weapons elevator brings the weapons right up. The fueling stations are in the deck. The refueling and the adding of munitions are all done at once, creating quick maneuvering,” Rutan said.