The future USS Gerald R. Ford completes builder's sea trials
NewsApril 20, 2017
NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va. The future USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier precommissioning unit (CVN 78) has returned from Builder's Sea Trials to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, after seven days of testing at sea.
During the carrier's initial at-sea period, the CVN 78's crew; representatives from Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding; the Navy's CVN 78 Program Office; the Navy's Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair; and various technical subject-matter experts demonstrated many of the ship's capabilities, including tracking aircraft using the dual-band radar, conducting "no-load" cycles using the new electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), and small-boat operations.
As is typical with sea trials, the Navy and shipbuilder learned about the ship's performance during the extensive testing; analysis of the results will continue and any identified corrective actions will be addressed. CVN 78 remains on schedule to conduct acceptance trials and delivery to the Navy before summer 2017.
