{"id":14440,"date":"2022-03-02T20:49:58","date_gmt":"2022-03-02T20:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/03\/02\/uss-ford-completes-maintenance-availability-sea-trials-ahead-of-2022-deployment\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:01:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:01:03","slug":"uss-ford-completes-maintenance-availability-sea-trials-ahead-of-2022-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2022\/03\/02\/uss-ford-completes-maintenance-availability-sea-trials-ahead-of-2022-deployment\/","title":{"rendered":"USS Ford completes maintenance availability, sea trials ahead of 2022 deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford<\/a> concluded a maintenance availability and sea trials Monday in preparation for the its first deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After completing modernization and maintenance work, then sea trials, during a sixth-month Planned Incremental Availability at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, the carrier arrived at Naval Station Norfolk to kick off training and certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That will include system qualification tests, flight deck certification, air warfare training, a Combat Systems Operational Readiness Evaluation and embarking Carrier Air Wing 8, the Navy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ford\u2019s maintenance availability started in September 2021 after the carrier wrapped up three shock trials over the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final shock was conducted off the coast of St. Augustine Beach, Florida, and registered as a 3.9 on the Richter Magnitude Scale, the equivalent of a minor earthquake. The 40,000-pound charge that exploded \u201cright off the starboard beam\u201d of the ship did not lead to any serious casualties and resulted in less damage than anticipated, sister publication Defense News previously reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last time the Navy had conducted underwater shock testing on a carrier was in 1987 with the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFord required only 20 percent of the repair work we saw with TR,\u201d Rear Adm. James Downey, program executive officer for aircraft carriers, said in a Tuesday Navy news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eighty-five percent of the repairs stemming from the shock trials were completed by the ship\u2019s force, rather than the shipyard\u2019s force, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Quartermaster Seaman Alysia Noyes, left, from Chandler, Arizona, and Quartermaster 2nd Class Landon Sherrill, from Crossville, Tennessee, both assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford\u2019s (CVN 78) navigation department, prepare to hoist a broom to signify a \u201cclean sweep\u201d of post Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) Sea Trials, Feb. 28, 2022. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean after completing the industrial portion of a six-month PIA. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jackson Adkins).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the Navy said that the setup of the Ford\u2019s command and control spaces simplified modernizing the carrier. It\u2019s now possible to install new technologies without cutting into decks and the like on the Ford, according to Downey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHistorically, about 40% of modernization work on Nimitz-class carriers goes into rip out, which involves cutting and welding,\u201d Downey said. \u201cThe Navy specifically designed Ford with a flexible infrastructure, so you can build in new capabilities to enhance system integration that facilitate immediate operational gains for the warfighter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n