The first carrier of the new Ford class in the United States, the USS Gerald Ford, has arrived in Norway on its first official mission. This presence did not please Russia, but that is not new. Since December 2021, the US Navy has had a constant presence in this area, when they detected a significant movement of Russian forces near the borders of Ukraine.
Then the carrier USS Harry S. Truman, which was supposed to pass through the Suez Canal, changed course and moved to the Middle East on orders from the Pentagon. From there he set out for Lithuania, sixty miles in as many nautical miles. Now the newest ship available is the USS Gerald Ford.
“These ships and crews are transforming the capabilities of our fleet and the future of naval aviation,” said ship commander Rick Burgess, as reported by La Razón.
After several months, Europe was thus again protected by US aircraft carriers. But the reason for Gerald Ford’s trip is different. According to the Konflikty media, its 23 new systems are in their infancy with respect to the Nimitz-class aircraft, so experts believe that this journey will focus on finding technical solutions used in construction.
The carrier flies more than 80 aircraft on its platform, with one exception: the fifth-generation F-35Cs are not on board. This ability has been removed from the budget so that the cost of harassment does not increase. The F-35 is scheduled to be integrated into Ford’s fleet starting in 2025.
The USS Gerald Ford is 332.8 meters long and has a displacement of 100,000 tons with a nuclear propulsion system. This is also the newest ship in the US Navy and can accommodate 4,500 crew members, 90 fighters (15 more than the Nimitz class) and helicopters.
