February 27, 2018
We Must Shock-Test the USS Gerald R. Ford
Earlier this month the U.S. Navy submitted a request to Secretary of Defense Mattis to postpone the planned shock testing of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the new Ford-class super carrier, until the second carrier of its class, the USS John F. Kennedy, goes through its post-launch tests some six years from now. A shock test involves setting off a series of underwater explosive charges of sufficient size, detonating them closer and closer to the ship to shake the ship enough to determine weak points or other issues in the ship’s design. The test is done with a full crew onboard and is intended not to damage the ship but to judge its adaptability to combat conditions.
The Navy’s argument is that the Navy’s need to increase the number of deployable super carriers to eleven (we now have ten) in order to take strain off of the overall fleet exceeds its need to analyze the robustness and resilience of the Ford’s design. In other words, getting the Ford on deployment quickly is more important to the Navy than shock-testing it.
Read the full article in National Review.
More from CNAS
-
Reshaping the U.S. Military with a New Force Planning Construct
Commentary
The nation is falling short, and the Department of Defense (DoD) can and must do more to help close the gap....
By James N. Miller
-
Enhancing Forward Defense: The Role of Allies and Partners in the Indo-Pacific
Commentary
An effective next NDS requires a clear plan for marshaling and organizing the efforts of U.S. allies and partners in new ways....
By Charles Edel & Siddharth Mohandas
-
Harnessing Military Talent to Compete in the 21st Century
Commentary
Developments in technology mean that the DoD must update its processes to attract, recruit, and harness talent to apply skill sets where they are most needed....
By Emma Moore
-
Sharper: America's Next Defense Strategy
Commentary
CNAS experts are sharpening the conversation surrounding the future of America’s defense priorities....
By Will Mackenzie, Jennie Matuschak, Chris Estep & Cole Stevens
