Tag Archives: electromagnetic aircraft launch system

Ford Carrier Strike Group Maximizes New CVN's Gear, Design In Final Test Event Before Shock Trials

Ford Carrier Strike Group Maximizes New CVN’s Gear, Design In Final Test Event Before Shock Trials

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Seaman Saruis Webb, from Chicago, assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN-78) weapons department, stands an armed watch with an H-2B .50 caliber machine gun during sea and anchor on April 14, 2021. US Navy Photo

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and its air wing and strike group had a chance to fully show off their combat capabilities, using a recent at-sea testing period to demonstrate not only that Ford can keep up with its Nimitz-class counterparts but can use its new gear to perform better and faster, leaders in the strike group told USNI News today. Read More →

As USS Gerald R. Ford Nears Shock Trials, Carrier Remains Busy With Testing, Fleet Support

As USS Gerald R. Ford Nears Shock Trials, Carrier Remains Busy With Testing, Fleet Support

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The flight deck crew of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) launches and recovers F/A-18E-F Super Hornets from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122 as pilots in the West Coast fleet replacement squadron conduct carrier qualifications on March 9, 2021. USNI News photo.

ABOARD AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS GERALD R. FORD, IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN – When new commanding officer Capt. Paul Lanzilotta wakes up each morning on USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), his long and diverse to-do list highlights the balance the aircraft carrier is trying to strike as it wraps up its new-ship testing and prepares for shock trials this summer, while also carrying out other duties as the only available aircraft carrier on the East Coast. Read More →

Navy Unsure If Recent EMALS Fault Was Equipment or Procedure Problem, But Workaround Has Been Validated

Navy Unsure If Recent EMALS Fault Was Equipment or Procedure Problem, But Workaround Has Been Validated

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Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Darius Jarmon lubricates an electromagnetic aircraft launching system (EMALS) catapult aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) in 2017. US Navy Photo

The Navy still isn’t sure if a recent fault in the aircraft launching system onboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) was caused by a problem with the equipment itself or the procedures used to operate it, but the service’s top acquisition official said he’s confident in the system and that any remaining weak points are being wrung out during an ongoing post-delivery test and trials period. Read More →

USS Gerald Ford EMALS Launching System Suffers Fault During Testing Period

USS Gerald Ford EMALS Launching System Suffers Fault During Testing Period

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USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) Transits the Atlantic Ocean on June 4, 2020. US Navy Photo

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) returned to port Sunday after its latest at-sea testing period with mixed results. While the carrier operated with the most complex air wing to date, the ship’s Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) suffered a failure that prevented the carrier from launching planes for five days, the Navy announced in a Sunday statement. Read More →

USS Ford Maintenance Moving Ahead of Schedule, Shrinking To-Do List for After Shock Trials

USS Ford Maintenance Moving Ahead of Schedule, Shrinking To-Do List for After Shock Trials

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The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) transits the Atlantic Ocean, May 13, 2020. Gerald R. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting carrier qualifications. US Navy photo.

Maintenance teams working on aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) are accomplishing about 30 percent more work than planned during in-ports periods between underway testing, helping to reduce the amount of time the carrier will likely spend in the repair yard after full-ship shock trials next year and becoming a fully available fleet asset. Read More →

USS Gerald Ford Flight Deck Now Certified; Can Conduct Carrier Qualifications

USS Gerald Ford Flight Deck Now Certified; Can Conduct Carrier Qualifications

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Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Derrick Williams, from Charlotte, North Carolina, USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) flight deck leading chief petty officer, goes over flight deck operations inside Ford’s flight deck control, prior to flight operations in the Atlantic Ocean, March 23, 2020. US Navy photo.

New aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) completed its Flight Deck Certification (FDC) and Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) Certification on March 20, following two days of intense flight deck operations to prove the ship and crew’s capabilities. Read More →

Navy: Ford's Advanced Arresting Gear Will be Ready for Fleet Super Hornets, Growlers by End of Year

Navy: Ford’s Advanced Arresting Gear Will be Ready for Fleet Super Hornets, Growlers by End of Year

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F/A-18F Pilot LCDR Jamie R. Struck the makes first carrier arrested landing using AAG system aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) off the Virginia coast. US Navy Photo

A previous version of this post misstated the Navy’s reliability requirement for the Advanced Arresting Gear. The requirement is 16,500 recoveries before an operational failure.

ABOARD AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS GERALD R. FORD – The crew of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) are slowly expanding the aircraft they can launch and recover from the next-generation aircraft carrier, Ford’s air boss told USNI News last week. Read More →

SECNAV to Trump: Ford Carrier Weapons Elevators Will be Fixed by Summer, or 'Fire Me'

SECNAV to Trump: Ford Carrier Weapons Elevators Will be Fixed by Summer, or ‘Fire Me’

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Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer

This post has been updated to include additional statements from the Navy and from Sen. Jim Inhofe.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Navy Secretary has committed that the service and its industry partners will have working weapons elevators on aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) by the end of the summer – and the secretary’s job is now on the line over that issue. Read More →

Navy Tackling Ford-Class Weapons Elevator Challenges; Decision on 2-Carrier Buy Still Pending

Navy Tackling Ford-Class Weapons Elevator Challenges; Decision on 2-Carrier Buy Still Pending

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F/A-18F Pilot LCDR Jamie R. Struck the makes first carrier arrested landing using AAG system aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) off the Virginia coast. US Navy Photo

CAPITOL HILL – The Navy’s acquisition chief said the weapons elevators on USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) will be built and installed by the time the ship comes out of its ongoing post-shakedown availability, but he may launch an independent review team to look at the long-term sustainability and reliability of the elevators. Read More →

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