Last night I had the opportunity to attend a presentation at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum (President Ford was from Grand Rapids), here in Grand Rapids Michigan, given by Captain John Meier USN, the new Captain of the Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford CVN - 78. She is scheduled to be commissioned February, 2016. The crew is about 1/3 filled and on - board training for them on the new systems is in progress. In August, the crew, that is presently living in shore accommodations, will be moving aboard, with all berthing and messing facilities fully operational. After the presentation, I was able to meet face to face and talk a bit with him. Man - o - man, It is hard for me to wrap my head around the advances made since I was aboard USS ESSEX CVS - 9 in 1960’s. The capabilities simply boggle the mind.
EJ
Definitely amazing what modern technology has brought us in the form of defensive & offensive military systems. I remember touring the USS Eisenhower back in 1985, and was amazed then by what it had. I can only imagine what the USA has on her military equipment nowadays. You gonna be there for the commissioning?
Hope they have a mattress at the bottom of the landing stairs. LOLs.
President Ford served on CVL-26 in action in the Pacific. Like Bush 41 a carrier man.
Sometimes today’s military is looking more and more like what yesterday’s sci fi movies & books said was way off in the future. What Asimov, Bradbury, and Heinlein wrote about over half a century ago is slowly becoming reality.
I’m sure gonna try to attend the commissioning. It will be at Norfolk VA. Susan Ford Bales will christen her. She is the ship’s sponsor. She has helped keep us here in Grand Rapids posted on the progress of the ship. The Ford family has close ties with us Grand Rapidians. President Ford and his wife are buried in front of the Ford Museum here in Grand Rapids, overlooking the bank of the Grand River.
EJ
Carriers, in particular, have seen past periods of rapid technology change. Look at the difference between the Langley and the Lexington/Saratoga! The coming of jets and steam catapults was another big change that included the angled deck at end of WW2.
ESSEX got a FRAM II and new sonar stuff in 1962 while I was aboard. Drydocked for 6 months. The new ASW sonars were really cutting edge then.
EJ
Great stuff. There is no denying that the carrier is still the most important ship in the arsenal. I know that Nuke subs serve their purpose, but the carriers have shown in the past conflicts just how relevant they are.