The
most expensive warship ever built has been delayed from hitting the
front line because it is reportedly not ready for battle.
The
$12.9 billion USS Gerald R. Ford Navy supercarrier - the first of three
in its class with a total cost of $43 billion - could potentially
struggle with planes landing and taking off, moving military weapons and
being able to successfully defend itself, a memo obtained by Bloomberg News reads.
The memo allegedly states 'poor or unknown reliability issues' were identified in a letter dated June 28.
The USS Gerald R. Ford (pictured at a
christening ceremony in November, 2013), the most expensive warship ever
built has been delayed from hitting the front line and is reportedly
not ready for battle
'These
four systems affect major areas of flight operations,' Defense
Department Director of Operational Test and Evaluation Michael Gilmore
wrote to Pentagon and Navy weapons buyers, according to Bloomberg News.
'Unless
these issues are resolved, which would likely require redesigning, they
will significantly limit the CVN-78’s ability to conduct combat
operations.
'Based
on current reliability estimates, the CVN-78 is unlikely to conduct
high-intensity flight operations at the outset of a war.'
It
comes after Senator John McCain slammed an announcement earlier this
month that stated the ship will not be rolled out until at least
November this year - more than two years after its original intended
date of September 2014.
When it is finished, the USS Gerald R. Ford will weigh almost 100,000 tonnes - or as much as 400 Statue of Libertys. dailymail
The $12.9 billion supercarrier
(pictured during construction in April 2014) could potentially struggle
with planes landing and taking off, moving military weapons and being
able to successfully defend itself
On June 16, 2015, Susan Ford Bales
participated in a demonstration of the new electromagnetic catapults on
the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford. Difficulty with the new catapult
system is one of the main reasons for the latest delays with the ship's
delivery. dailymail
'The
Navy’s announcement of another two-month delay in the delivery of
CVN-78 further demonstrates that key systems still have not demonstrated
expected performance,' McCain said in a statement.
'The
advanced arresting gear (AAG) cannot recover airplanes. Advanced
weapons elevators cannot lift munitions. The dual-band radar cannot
integrate two radar bands. Even if everything goes according to the
Navy’s plan, CVN-78 will be delivered with multiple systems unproven.
'This
situation is unacceptable and was entirely preventable. After more than
$2.3 billion in cost overruns have increased its cost to nearly $13
billion, the taxpayers deserve to know when CVN-78 will actually be
delivered, how much developmental risk remains in the program, if cost
overruns will continue, and who is being held accountable.'
The USS Gerald R. Ford under
construction in April 2013, with the addition of the ship's upper bow
bringing it close to structural completion
When it is finished, the giant
1,106-foot USS Gerald R. Ford will be able to launch 220 airstrikes per
day from its two runways, hold 4,000 sailors and marines, and be
virtually invisible to enemy radar
This picture was taken during a recent
Fast Cruise on June 8, 2016, giving the ship's crew a chance to work
with the on-board systems
The USS Gerald R. Ford is the first of
three ships in the Navy's new fleet, with the USS John F. Kennedy and
USS Enterprise planned for commission in 2020 and 2025 respectively
When
it is finished, the giant 1,106-foot USS Gerald R. Ford will be able to
launch 220 airstrikes per day from its two runways, hold 4,000 sailors
and marines, and be virtually invisible to enemy radar.
The
ship is able to launch so many airstrikes - one almost every six
minutes - because the deck uses electromagnetic force to propel the jets
forward. It is a similar method as used on roller coasters.
Construction
of the vessel began in Newport News, Virginia, in 2007, with Huntington
Ingalls Industries tasked with building the ship.
In
2013, the cost of building the ship was estimated at $12.8 billion,
about 22 per cent over the initial 2008 budget. An additional $4.7
billion was also spent in research and development.
Recruit Daniel Banks stands as the port lookout during a simulated bridge training exercise aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford
A shipbuilder is seen walking on the
deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) aircraft carrier during
outfitting and testing at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News
shipyard
As of 2013 when the ship was
christened, the cost of building the USS Gerald R. Ford was estimated at
$12.8 billion, about 22 per cent over the initial 2008 budget. dailymail
Susan Ford Bales, President Ford's
daughter, smashing a bottle of American sparkling wine over the boat
during the christening ceremony in 2013
The USS Gerald R. Ford
has a five-acre flight deck, and holds 4,660 personnel and 75 aircraft -
such as the F-35, pictured landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS
Nimitz in November 2014. dailymail
As of June, the warship's construction was said to be 98 per cent complete.
Partly
due to its spiraling cost, the state-of-the-art carrier has provoked
strong criticism from some quarters, including the government's own
watchdogs.
In
2013, the Government Accountability Office wrote: 'Key ship systems
face reliability shortfalls that the Navy does not expect to resolve
until many years after [Ford] commissioning, which will limit the ship’s
mission effectiveness during initial deployments and likely increase
costs to the government.'
It
added: 'The Navy faces technical, design, and construction challenges
to completing Gerald R. Ford that have led to significant cost
increases.'
There
are two other ships in the Ford class: the USS John F. Kennedy and a
new USS Enterprise - expected to be commissioned in 2020 and 2025
respectively. The total cost for the three vessels is estimated to be
more than $43 billion.
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