NORFOLK, Va. — More than four years after its commissioning, USS Gerald R. Ford has passed another critical test.
Sunday, off the East coast of Florida, the aircraft carrier successfully conducted its third "Full Ship Shock Trial," absorbing and withstanding what is said to have been an environmentally safe 40,000-pound underwater explosive blast, designed to prove the ship's capability to sustain operations in a simulated combat environment (using live ordnance).
"It almost brought tears to my eyes to see how well this crew performed in this live fire test event," said Capt. Paul Lanzilotta, USS Gerald R. Ford Commanding Officer.
The Ford conducted similar tests in June and July, with the goal of ensuring the ship's integrated combat systems perform as designed.
Navy leaders say there were zero significant injuries, no reports of marine mammal impacts, and that all ship-board systems that went offline were "quickly restored."
The shock trials did mean that the Ford had "de-stage" all work related to the troubled advanced weapons elevator system.
Nine of 11 lifts are now delivered and reportedly fully functioning.
But, two of the lower stage elevators -- four and six -- are still a work-in- progress. They're being "groomed" for completion by the end of 2021.
"There's certainly been lag there, a disruption period, but we planned for that," said Rear Adm. James Downey, program executive officer for aircraft carriers. "We will be done with them this calendar year, is what our plan is."
The Ford will return to Newport News Shipbuilding for six months to assess any damage sustained during the explosions, and to continue modernization and maintenance work.
Then, after work-ups, the plan is for the ship's first overseas deployment to take place sometime in 2022.
The $13 billion dollar Ford is the most expensive warship ever built, coming in 27% over its original budget. It is designed to serve for 50 years.