USS Gerald R. Ford
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CVN-78 is to be the lead ship of her class of United States Navy supercarriers. When completed, she will be the first of the CVN-21 series of aircraft carriers.
CVN-78 is currently scheduled to be laid down in 2009, concurrently or nearly so with the commissioning of USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77). Construction work has already begun; on August 11, 2005, Northrop Grumman held a ceremonial steel cut for a 15-ton plate that will form part of a side shell unit of the carrier. If construction of the carrier remains on schedule the new ship should join the U.S. Navy’s active fleet as a fully commissioned warship sometime in 2015.
Naming CVN-78
Currently there is much debate over what name CVN-78, the first CVN-21 class carrier, should bear. This is elevated by the fact that the name of the lead ship of the class will be extended to all members of the class. As it currently stands, CVN-78 will replace the current USS Enterprise, making her name a viable candidate for CVN-78. Unsuprisingly, this has drawn out many fans of the TV series Star Trek, who are mounting a writing campaign to have the new carrier named Enterprise.[1] This would, however, be problematic with respect to tradition as CVN-78 will likely be commissioned several months before CVN-65 is decommissioned. Others, particularly ex-crewmembers, feel that CVN-78 should be named in honor of the carrier USS America, which endured a month long bombardment and was ultimately scuttled 14 May 2005 to help the US Navy better understand how much damage a supercarrier could withstand before succumbing to battle damage. This research will be incorporated into the design and construction of CVN-21 class carriers. Still others feel that CVN-78 should be named in honor of Eugene B. Ely, who was the first naval pilot. Other suggested names include USS Lexington, in honor of the second United States aircraft carrier; as well as USS Constitution.[citation needed] However, the last would be problematic, as the original frigate Constitution is still commissioned. Sailors from the United States Navy have also reported that the CVN-21 class has been referred to in certain circles as the United States-class, suggesting that the Navy may name the new carrier United States.[2]
The United States Navy has not yet announced the name of this carrier, leaving the class name open for discussion. CVN-78 is set to be laid down sometime in 2009, so a name for CVN-78 and the CVN-21 class will likely be picked sometime between 2009 and 2015. Modern aircraft carriers since USS John F. Kennedy (though excluding USS Nimitz) are typically named for living or dead politicians. Previous aircraft carriers were named for battles and past famous fighting ships of the Navy. The names of ships are officially selected by the Secretary of the Navy, usually after construction of the ship has begun and before the ship is launched.
Senate Amendment 4211: USS Gerald R. Ford
Senator John Warner (R-VA), Chairman of the Armed Services Committee (and a former Secretary of the Navy), introduced Senate Amendment 4211 titled NAMING CVN-78. This amendment recommended naming of CVN-78 the USS Gerald R. Ford, in honor of former US President Gerald R. Ford, continuing the present trend of naming aircraft carriers after former presidents and politicians. It was later attached to the National Defense Act for 2007 and signed into effect by President George W. Bush on September 29 2006.
See also
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