USA cannibalized the Kennedy aircraft carrier under construction in order for another such ship, Gerald R. Ford, went to long-sailing in 2022, reports Defense News, referring to the statement of the representative of the Naval Forces (Navy) of the United States and Captain Clai Dossa.
According to him, none of the parts of Kennedy, which was transferred to Gerald R. Ford, will not affect the readiness of the first. It is, in particular, about the components of power plants and elevator lifts. The use of components originally intended for another ship, Doss called the “Project Management Tool.”
Duane Born, a representative of Huntington Ingalls Industries, which builds Kennedy, said that this practice is common to the aircraft industry under construction. The specialist added that a new ship capable of stirring F-35C Lightning II deck fighters should be ready for 2024.
According to Defense News, initially Gerald R. Ford was to be in full combat reading back in 2018, however, due to numerous technological difficulties and delays with the supply of components of the final readiness of the ship were transferred. From 2018 to 2021, the cost of the aircraft carrier grew from 10.5 to 13 billion dollars.
American officer Bradley Martin called Kennedy cannibalization for Gerald R. Ford is a bad habit. According to him, the data of the US Navy are alarming, since they indicate the absence of a reliable source of spare parts for the ship.
In July, Popular Mechanics magazine, referring to the statement of the US Navy, Admiral Michael Gilda, said that the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford of the Naval Forces (Navy) of the United States, which is the most expensive ship from the world built in the world, It turned out to be overly technological. According to the military, we are talking about 23 technological solutions that create difficulties in the operation of the aircraft carrier.
On Gerald R. Ford is provided for accommodation of more than 4.5 thousand military and 75 aircraft. The ship is equipped with anti-aircraft missiles “ship air” of the average range of RIM-162 ESSM, ship’s anti-aircraft rocket and anti-aircraft artillery complexes. Airplane displacement – 100 thousand tons, length – 332.8 meters, width – 40.8 meters (waterline), 78 meters (flight deck). The maximum speed is 30 nodes. Service life – at least 50 years. Gerald R. Ford Navy USA received in July 2017.