Navy’s Priciest Carrier Ever Struggles to Get Jets On, Off Deck
- Pentagon tester cites ‘poor or unknown reliability’ of systems
- Aircraft takeoff and landing systems break down frequently
The USS Gerald R. Ford.
Photographer: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ridge Leoni/U.S. Navy/Getty Images
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Aircraft takeoff and landing systems on the USS Gerald R. Ford remain unreliable and break down too often more than three years after the $13.2 billion carrier was delivered, according to the Pentagon’s top tester.
The latest assessment of the costliest warship ever built “remains consistent” with previous years, director of testing Robert Behler said in his new summary of the program obtained by Bloomberg News before its release in an annual report.