Scott Nicholas
Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ Newport News Shipbuilding division has concluded a series of USS Gerald R. Ford trials that assessed the aircraft carrier’s systems, components and compartments at sea.
HII said Friday builder’s sea trials of the U.S. Navy‘s first Ford-class carrier, dubbed CVN 78, also covered high-speed runs and demonstrated ship capacities.
Newport News Shipbuilding workers performed the tests with Ford sailors and Naval Sea Systems Command personnel.
“Everybody has to work together to really exercise the ship and take it through its final paces,†said Rolf Bartschi, vice president of CVN 78 carrier construction at Newport News Shipbuilding.
“Completion of builder’s sea trials for dad’s namesake aircraft carrier is the magnificent culmination of years of hard work,” said Susan Ford Bales, daughter of former President Gerald Ford and sponsor for CVN 78.
Representatives from the Navy Board of Inspection and Survey will conduct Ford acceptance trials prior to the ship’s delivery to the service branch.
