PORTSMOUTH, Va. — If you work or live along the Elizabeth River in Norfolk or Portsmouth, you may have noticed something big in the water!
The Navy's newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), is currently at Lambert's Point Deperming Station. A spokesperson for the Navy said the ship is undergoing what's called a "scheduled magnetic calibration process" -- or "deperm" -- at the facility located near the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
The Navy says deperming is used to change the magnetic signature of a ship, in order to reduce its vulnerability to sea mine detection.
The aircraft carrier can be easily seen docked at the facility if you're driving on the West Norfolk Bridge in Portsmouth, heading to or from the Midtown Tunnel.