Navy’s Newest Carrier Needs Critical Updates To Launch And Recover Aircraft With Certain Loadouts
The service still needs to conduct additional testing so that the ship can operate F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs in any configuration.
The service still needs to conduct additional testing so that the ship can operate F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs in any configuration.
The Navy’s newest and most advanced carrier can’t make it through a day of operations, on average, without a launch and recovery system failure.
The service wants to put off critical testing for years, but a recent Pentagon report says the USS Ford barely works in optimal conditions.
The service admits there’s still much work to be done and its unclear when the ship will actually be combat ready.