Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman Newport News [NYSE: NOC]

The United States Navy is undoubtedly the largest and most powerful navy to ever exist. Likewise, the navy currently employs the largest warships ever built, the NIMITZ class aircraft carriers. In fact, the Nimitz class carriers dwarf other nations attempts at aircraft carriers by such a degree that they have been dubbed “super carriers“. With the oldest carrier in the US fleet reaching it’s final years, the USS Enterprise will be replaced by, once again, the largest warship to have ever been built. Construction began this year on the USS Gerald R. Ford, which incorporates decades of naval research into the latest and greatest aircraft carrier design. The Ford Class aircraft carrier will launch its jets, including the newest naval jet the F-35 JSF, from electromagnetic catapults rather than steam catapults. Likewise, the Ford Class carriers will have newer more integrated radar and electronic warfare measures, leaving room for future technology to incorporated into the design such as the yet developed but much hyped naval rail guns. In fact, the nuclear power plant, which houses 2 nuclear reactors, was redesigned to provide 2.5 times the electricity generated by the 2 nuclear reactors in the current Nimitz class aircraft carriers. All in all, the US will retain it’s capability to conduct “gunboat diplomacy” well into the future. Perhaps certain countries will think twice about nuclear weapons when 2 of these aircraft carriers powered by nuclear reactors show up on their coast. Isn’t it ironic? I know that I wouldn’t want one of these bad boys parked in striking distance of my illegal nuclear weapons facilities.

The USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, Currently Deployed in the Persian Gulf: NOT BIG ENOUGH!! Trivia fact: The USS Enterprise is actually the aircraft carrier featured in the movie Top Gun.

Ford Carrier Video