USS Gerald R. Ford

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the lead ship of her class. The ship is named after the 38th president of the United States, Gerald Ford.^[1]

Construction began on 11 August 2005.^[2] The keel of Gerald R. Ford was laid down on 13 November 2009. She was christened on 9 November 2013. Gerald R. Ford replaced the decommissioned USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in December 2012.^[3]^[4]

Gerald R. Ford was delivered to the Navy on 31 May 2017 and formally commissioned by President Donald Trump on 22 July 2017.^[5]^[6] She left the Naval Station Norfolk on her first deployment on 2 May 2023.^[7]

As of August 2025^[update], she is the world's largest aircraft carrier and the largest warship ever built.^[8]^[9]

References

↑ "Navy Names New Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford". U.S. Department of Defense. Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs). 16 January 2007. Archived from the original on 14 February 2007.
↑ "USS Gerald R. Ford CVN 78". U.S. Carriers. 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
↑ O'Rourke, Ronald (25 May 2005). "Navy CVN-21 Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress". Naval Historical Center. Department of the Navy. Archived from the original on 1 December 2006.
↑ "USS Enterprise: Past Present And Future". The Official US Navy Blog. US Navy. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
↑ Jenkins, Aric (22 July 2017). "The USS Gerald Ford Is the Most Advanced Aircraft Carrier in the World". Fortune. Archived from the original on 23 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
↑ LaGrone, Sam (18 January 2017). "Delay in Aircraft Carrier Ford Testing Could Compress Workups for First Deployment". USNI News. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
↑ Laroisa, Aaron-Matthew (2023-05-02). "Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford Departs Norfolk for Worldwide Deployment". USNI. Retrieved 2025-04-26.
↑ Szondy, David (22 July 2017). "World's largest supercarrier USS Gerald R Ford commissioned". New Atlas. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
↑ "Up close with the world's largest warship". navylookout.com. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2023.

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[1] "Navy Names New Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford". U.S. Department of Defense. Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs). 16 January 2007. Archived from the original on 14 February 2007.

[2] "USS Gerald R. Ford CVN 78". U.S. Carriers. 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.

[NavyCVN21Issues-3] O'Rourke, Ronald (25 May 2005). "Navy CVN-21 Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress". Naval Historical Center. Department of the Navy. Archived from the original on 1 December 2006.

[4] "USS Enterprise: Past Present And Future". The Official US Navy Blog. US Navy. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.

[FortuneTechCommission-5] Jenkins, Aric (22 July 2017). "The USS Gerald Ford Is the Most Advanced Aircraft Carrier in the World". Fortune. Archived from the original on 23 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.

[USNIdeploy-6] LaGrone, Sam (18 January 2017). "Delay in Aircraft Carrier Ford Testing Could Compress Workups for First Deployment". USNI News. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.

[7] Laroisa, Aaron-Matthew (2023-05-02). "Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford Departs Norfolk for Worldwide Deployment". USNI. Retrieved 2025-04-26.

[8] Szondy, David (22 July 2017). "World's largest supercarrier USS Gerald R Ford commissioned". New Atlas. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.

[9] "Up close with the world's largest warship". navylookout.com. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2023.

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