{"id":28719,"date":"2019-10-24T21:56:11","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T21:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/10\/24\/secnav-lawmaker-trade-barbs-on-ford-flattop-woes\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:31:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:31:16","slug":"secnav-lawmaker-trade-barbs-on-ford-flattop-woes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/10\/24\/secnav-lawmaker-trade-barbs-on-ford-flattop-woes\/","title":{"rendered":"SECNAV, lawmaker trade barbs on Ford flattop woes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The plight of the very expensive and very late <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/03\/26\/why-the-carrier-ford-is-delayed-again\/\" target=_blank>Gerald R. Ford<\/a> aircraft carrier ignited a war of words between U.S. lawmakers and Navy leaders this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Billed as the first of a new generation of floating American airfields, the Ford was slated for delivery in 2015, but was not turned over to the Navy and commissioned until 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although it completed a five-day pierside fast cruise training evolution on Wednesday and is scheduled to exit the Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding yard later this month, the flattop has been plagued by glitches affecting everything from its ammunition elevators to a new electromagnetic system for launching and recovering jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Initially capped for costs at $10,5 billion, the price tag has since ballooned beyond $13 billion, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/fas.org\/sgp\/crs\/weapons\/RS20643.pdf\" target=_blank>Congressional Research Service<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And because of \u201ccontinuing technical deficiencies, the Navy may still require more funding to complete this ship,\u201d CRS warned in <a href=\"https:\/\/fas.org\/sgp\/crs\/weapons\/RS20643.pdf\" target=_blank>a report<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/03\/26\/why-the-carrier-ford-is-delayed-again\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"146\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Ford.jpg_2ff49c.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Why the carrier Ford is delayed again<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">More headaches for the high tech warship.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That history formed the backdrop of the latest Ford fracas, which erupted Tuesday at a <a href=\"https:\/\/armedservices.house.gov\/readiness\" target=_blank>House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee<\/a> hearing, when U.S. Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/luria.house.gov\/\" target=_blank>Elaine Luria<\/a> \u2014 a Virginia Democrat and retired surface warfare officer \u2014 grilled the brass on Ford\u2019s long journey to operational status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.navy.mil\/navydata\/bios\/navybio.asp?bioID=461\" target=_blank>Vice Adm. Thomas Moore<\/a>, head of Naval Sea Systems Command, conceded during the hearing that Ford was supposed to deploy last year, but the sea service is now working to ensure it can go to sea by 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luria lamented the Navy\u2019s lack of answers and questioned the money spent on a carrier that she called a $13 billion \u201cnuclear powered floating barge that\u2019s not deployable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ford isn\u2019t alone. Luria pointed out that five other Norfolk-based carriers can\u2019t be deployed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And her remarks aren\u2019t partisan. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said this summer that the Navy\u2019s arrogance about flattop Ford <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/naval\/2019\/08\/06\/with-mounting-questions-about-cost-and-survivability-a-shifting-political-landscape-for-us-aircraft-carriers\/\" target=\"_blank\">\u201cought to be criminal.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/02\/16\/report-emals-might-not-be-ready-for-the-fight\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nvy.JPG.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Report: EMALS might not be ready for the fight<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">A January assessment from the Navy&#039;s operational testing and evaluation arm warns that the new electromagnetic jet launch system aboard the Gerald R. Ford is having issues.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At an event Wednesday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defense.gov\/Our-Story\/Biographies\/Biography\/Article\/1887215\/richard-v-spencer\/\" target=_blank>Navy Secretary Richard Spencer<\/a> bristled at Luria\u2019s criticism of the \u201cmassively complex systems\u201d on Ford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/events\/the-navy-in-an-era-of-great-power-competition\/\" target=_blank>Brookings Institution<\/a> think tank event, he said such complaints left him feeling that he \u201ccould not ask for a better disinformation program for our competitors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe way we went to the moon was because the country was behind this, to get us to the moon with new technology,\u201d Spencer said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to work this out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ford\u2019s innovative high-tech catapults have not only bedeviled engineers trying to perfect them but have also irked President Donald Trump, who said in 2017 that the carrier\u2019s electromagnetic system should return to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-navy\/2017\/05\/11\/navy-should-return-to-goddamned-steam-on-carrier-trump-says\/\" target=_blank>\u201cgoddamned steam.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spencer blamed Congress Wednesday for ever putting a price cap on the carrier, which he likened to making a deal to get your house painted for $100 and then offering the painter only $75.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI would love to know that Congress understands what a price cap does,\u201d Spencer added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spencer also laid into Luria for not offering to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI consider that disparaging,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Luria\u2019s Capitol Hill team responded that, during Tuesday\u2019s hearing, she offered to do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe want to be here for readiness to provide you the tools to get the carriers out to deploy on time,\u201d she told Moore and Assistant Navy Secretary for Research, Development and Acquisition <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navy.mil\/navydata\/bios\/bio.asp?bioID=1032\" target=_blank>James Geurts<\/a>. \u201cWhat else do you need to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Wednesday, Spencer also denounced how lawmakers \u2014 who he refers to as his \u201cboard of directors\u201d \u2014 only blame the Navy for the Ford\u2019s failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI love the fact that\u2026Congress turns around and says, \u2018Navy, this is your fault,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cI have an extra seat up there when I testify, and I have not seen Huntington Ingalls-Newport News called up on the Hill to testify on the outrage my board of directors sees on the Ford.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement released Wednesday night, Luria said she was disappointed that Spencer \u201cfinds Congressional oversight disparaging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHere are the facts: The USS FORD will be six years delayed in its initial deployment, which causes incredible strain on the carrier fleet,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2017\/05\/11\/navy-should-return-to-goddamned-steam-on-carrier-trump-says\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/trump-ohio-preview.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Navy should return to &#8216;goddamned steam&#8217; on carrier, Trump says<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">President Trump says the Navy should abandon longstanding plans for electro-magnetic catapults for carrier aviation and return to the traditional steam-powered launch and recovery system.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spencer reportedly told President Trump at December\u2019s Army-Navy football game to fire him if Ford\u2019s elevators weren\u2019t working by this past August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019ll see if I\u2019m here after August,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2019-01-08\/navy-boss-to-trump-fire-me-if-13-billion-carrier-isn-t-fixed\" target=_blank>Bloomberg quoted Spencer<\/a> as saying in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is now fall and no elevators accessing the ammunition storage areas are functioning, which results in a carrier with no combat capability,\u201d Luria said in Wednesday\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spencer said Wednesday that \u201cwe signed elevator number 4 over\u201d earlier that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have yet to see a detailed plan to fix the multitude of problems with these new technologies,\u201d Luria added. \u201cThe Navy accepted the design of these systems and accepted the ship in an incomplete state from (Huntington Ingalls Industries), so it is absolutely my role to question Navy leadership on their current failure to deliver an operational ship to the fleet.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Billed as the first of a new generation of floating American airfields, the carrier was slated for delivery in 2015, but was not turned over to the Navy and christened until 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By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>SECNAV, lawmaker trade barbs on Ford flattop woes - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Billed as the first of a new generation of floating American airfields, the carrier was slated for delivery in 2015, but was not turned over to the Navy and christened until 2017.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SECNAV, lawmaker trade barbs on Ford flattop woes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Billed as the first of a new generation of floating American airfields, the carrier was slated for delivery in 2015, but was not turned over to the Navy and christened until 2017.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/10\/24\/secnav-lawmaker-trade-barbs-on-ford-flattop-woes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Navy Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-10-24T21:56:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T19:31:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Geoff Ziezulewicz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Geoff Ziezulewicz\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t        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