US Navy expects to deploy carrier Ford during third quarter

The US Navy (USN) plans to operationally deploy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78) during the third quarter of this year, Rear Admiral James Downey, USN Aircraft Carriers Program executive officer, said on 21 January.

The carrier is now going through a planned maintenance availability following shock trials and testing, Rear Adm Downey noted during a press briefing on the status of the navy’s carrier force.

After that, the ship “will do workups” during the second quarter into the third, he explained. At the end of the time, he said, Ford would sail “to multiple theatre of operations with multiple allies with its strike group and air wing”. The ship is to deploy to areas that include “more nations than I can briefly summarise,” he noted.

However, Rear Adm Downey added, exactly where and when that deployment will occur is “not publicly releasable”.