By Robbin Laird On November 17, 2020, a small number of journalists, most from the local Norfolk based media, flew from Norfolk Air Station to the USS Gerald R. Ford at sea, less than 100 miles off of the Virginia cost. We flew on the venerable C-2 Greyhound, but this…
By MC1 Jeff Troutman Off the Coast of Virginia, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 are conducting the first-ever fully integrated carrier strike group operations for a Ford-class carrier, under the leadership and operational control of Carrier Strike Group 12. The operation also…
By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Riley McDowell USS Gerald R. Ford Public Affairs ATLANTIC OCEAN — Combat Systems divisions assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) have helped the ship earn its Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) certification November 17 while underway in the Atlantic Ocean. The certification, ensures that the…
By Robbin Laird The day before we flew to the USS Gerald R. Ford, I sat down with Rear Admiral Meier, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic, in his Norfolk office, to discuss the way ahead for Naval Air Force, and the next generation large deck carrier. I would call it…
By Robbin Laird I have attended and reported on the last two International Fighter Conferences, both held in Berlin, in 2018 and 2019. Unfortunately, this one was held on a Zoom stage due to the COVID-19 world. This year I was especially looking forward to coming to Berlin, because my…
By Pierre Tran Paris. Thales signed Nov. 17 a contract worth €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion) to supply Dutch shipbuilder Damen with a radar, combat management and fire control systems for the German MKS-180 frigate, Philippe Duhamel, vice president for defense mission systems, said. The deal with Damen was the third…
This launch sequence was viewed onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford at sea November 17, 2020. It also features the in-deck launch control officer.
This photo slide show highlights the view from the bridge of the USS Gerald R. Ford as seen on a visit at sea to the ship on November 17, 2020.