The United States Navy’s newest supercarrier in the Gerald R. Ford class — a 100,000-ton nuclear-powered capital ship — has begun its first at-sea test phase, marking a key milestone in its introduction to the fleet. This test phase evaluates propulsion systems, flight deck operations, weapons integration, and the advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), which replaces traditional steam catapults. The Ford-class is designed to support future carrier air wings with improved sortie

The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is built around USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier. Powered by two nuclear reactors, the Ford-class carrier uses electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) and advanced arresting gear to launch and recover aircraft more efficiently than previous carriers. The strike group typically includes Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8) with fighter, electronic attack, early warning, and helicopter squadrons, along with multi

Gerald R. Ford-class Carrier: Powering 75 Aircraft Fleet | US Military News