{"id":34909,"date":"2020-01-31T21:59:02","date_gmt":"2020-01-31T21:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2020\/01\/31\/with-laser-weapons-coming-the-us-navys-newest-super-carrier-has-space-and-power-to-spare\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:04:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:04:35","slug":"with-laser-weapons-coming-the-us-navys-newest-super-carrier-has-space-and-power-to-spare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/battlefield-tech\/it-networks-battlefield-tech\/2020\/01\/31\/with-laser-weapons-coming-the-us-navys-newest-super-carrier-has-space-and-power-to-spare\/","title":{"rendered":"With laser weapons coming, the US Navy\u2019s newest super carrier has space and power to spare"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER GERALD R. FORD IN THE VIRGINIA CAPES \u2014 The U.S. Navy is trying to find an alternative to shooting down anti-ship missiles with other missiles, and the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford<\/a> could prove useful in this pursuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A major difference with Ford over its Nimitz-class predecessors is its twin A1B nuclear reactors that produce more than three times the electrical power of the reactors on Nimitz \u2014 more than 100 megawatts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means Ford, with survivability questions looming over aircraft carriers<\/a>, can support large, power-sucking equipment such as lasers, according to Capt. J.J. Cummings, the Ford\u2019 commanding officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you talk about innovation in the Navy, this is where it lives,\u201d Cummings said, referring to his ship. \u201cWe\u2019re lighter \u2014 designed lighter \u2014 than Nimitz class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNimitz class, she\u2019s barreling down pretty good now with a lot of stuff on her, and her electric plant is almost at maximum capacity. We\u2019re light and designed to have excess capacity in our electrical system to bring future systems on board.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t