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Key Points: At $13.3 billion, the USS Gerald R. Ford-Class aircraft carrier is the most expensive warship ever built. It embodies advanced technology, such as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), and aims for greater efficiency and reduced crew requirements.

-However, its high cost and susceptibility to modern threats like anti-ship missiles and drones have sparked debates about the future relevance of supercarriers.

-Critics argue that evolving asymmetric threats from nations like China could challenge the carrier’s survivability.

-While the Ford represents a leap in technology, questions about its practicality and the viability of future Ford-class carriers remain.

Gerald R. Ford-Class Aircraft Carrier: A Technological Marvel or a Costly Relic?

Naval fans are debating the future of the aircraft carrier, and the debate seems to be getting hotter by the second. 

Is the flattop becoming obsolete because anti-ship carrier-killing missiles endanger it? 

Are these behemoths even worth the cost? 

Could savings from canceling future carriers be better spent on more submarines? 

The new USS Gerald R. Ford supercarrier has the naysayers and doubters out in force – making the questions noted above even more challenging to answer.

This flattop is the most expensive warship ever built. 

Get the tissues ready for this eye-watering price – we are talking $13.3 billion for the vessel.

Disadvantages of Ford-Class Aircraft Carriers

No one doubts that the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carriers will be able to project power around the globe at a time when multiple hotspots and wars require the U.S. military’s attention. 

Carriers are also a matter of national prestige and a symbol of military might. The United States has been a leader in carrier aviation since World War Two. 

However, these ships require long-term and expensive maintenance and refueling periods, which can put them out of action for more than five years. Modern anti-ship missiles and torpedoes from cheaper diesel-electric submarines can sink aircraft carriers. 

So many wonder if a new supercarrier is worth the time, money, and effort.

New Technology with New Problems 

The Gerald R. Ford has become 30 percent more expensive than initially estimated.

This is due to new systems and technology that haven’t been seen in the history of carrier operations. 

The Gerald R. Ford is known for its new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), plus around 23 new or enhanced features that are supposed to make it the best carrier of all time.

Built by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII’s) Newport News Shipbuilding, the Ford is 1,092 feet long and has a beam of 134 feet. The flight deck is 256 feet wide. The ship displaces 100,000 tons and is powered by two nuclear reactors with four shafts. The Ford can steam ahead at 30 knots.

Can It Create New Time-Saving Efficiencies? 

The idea behind all technological improvements is to remove tedious and time-consuming jobs from the crew and increase efficiencies. 

This will also reduce the time for lengthy maintenance periods, saving billions of dollars in repair costs during the carrier’s service life. 

The upgrades will require 700 fewer crew members, which also saves money. 

NORFOLK (July 22, 2017) Sailors man the rails of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) during its commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. Ford is the lead ship of the Ford-class aircraft carriers, and the first new U.S. aircraft carrier designed in 40 years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew J. Sneeringer/Released)

Deployments on carriers are long, and Ford-Class will have improved features for a better quality of life, such as gyms and workspaces with improved ergonomics.

Construction of the Gerald R. Ford hasn’t been easy. Critics have noted an embarrassing number of clogged toilets, ordnance elevators have malfunctioned, and other issues associated with production mishaps have been noted.

New Warfare to Make the Carrier Obsolete

Modern naval warfare is evolving, making some wonder whether the carrier has the same survivability as it had 20 or 30 years ago. China has numerous anti-ship missiles that could overwhelm a carrier strike group.

In-air and below-sea drones could be a problem. These types of asymmetrical threats make naval planners scratch their heads. 

Yes, the carrier brings a floating air base to the fight, and airplanes like the F-35C will be a stealthy force multiplier for the Gerald R. Ford, but it won’t do any good at the bottom of the sea.  

It is too late to cancel the Gerald R. Ford, but future aircraft carriers could be questioned. 

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) completes the first scheduled explosive event of Full Ship Shock Trials while underway in the Atlantic Ocean, June 18, 2021. The U.S. Navy conducts shock trials of new ship designs using live explosives to confirm that our warships can continue to meet demanding mission requirements under harsh conditions they might encounter in battle.

The cost is too high, and the asymmetric threats are growing.

Hopefully, the Ford will not have the maintenance problems that the Nimitz-class carriers have endured.

Survivability Is Not Assured

A live-fire battle with China would answer many of the following questions. Can a carrier survive a direct hit from an anti-ship missile? Do carriers need to patrol outside the range of the Anti-Access/ Area Denial defensive bubble that the Chinese have so deftly created around their First Island Chain? Will manned or unmanned submarines be the death of a U.S. aircraft carrier?

These questions will have to be pondered by some of the best thinkers in the U.S. Navy. Otherwise, the Gerald R. Ford will not be worth the exorbitant cost, and future aircraft carriers of the Ford-class may be reconsidered. 

The next war may include anti-ship missiles, drones, and submarines. Carrier-based combat could be made obsolete by asymmetric weapons and a determined enemy who is likely to try anything to slow down or destroy the Gerald R. Ford.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (March 26, 2022) The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) transits the Atlantic Ocean, March 26, 2022. Gerald R. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting flight deck certification and air wing carrier qualifications during the ship’s tailored basic phase before operational deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jackson Adkins)

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.