$5.1 billion US Navy contract for Northrop to construct next-generation aircraft carrier

13 September 2008

Los Angeles: US defence contractor Northrop Grumman said Thursday it has received a $5.1 billion contract to build the US Navy's first next-generation aircraft carrier.

The new aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78), named after the late US president, will be the lead ship in the Navy's newest class of aircraft carrier and will replace USS Enterprise (CVN 65). According to Northrop, the Ford will be the first of a new class of US aircraft carriers in more than 40 years.

The new Ford-class of aircraft carrier will finally replace the Navy's all 11 nuclear-powered Nimitz-class carriers that have been in service since the early 1970s, according to Northrop. The first carrier is expected to launch in 2015.

"When USS Gerald R Ford is delivered to the fleet in 2015, it will bring war-fighting capability and meaningful quality-of-life improvements for sailors, in addition to greatly reduced life-cycle costs," says Navy Capt Brian Antonio, CVN 78 programme manager in the programme executive office for aircraft carriers.

CVN 78 features many improvements over the 1960s Nimitz-class design. They will incorporate many new design features including a new nuclear reactor design (A1B reactor), stealthier features to help reduce radar profile, electromagnetic catapults, advanced arresting gear, and reduced crewing requirements.