One of the greatest symbols of the United States’ military power, the USS Gerald R. Ford impresses with its size and onboard combat technology, the most advanced ever seen at sea. However, the largest aircraft carrier in the world was hiding an unusual problem: this week, it stopped supporting operations against Iran due to problems with its sanitary facilities, in addition to a fire.
Commissioned in 2017 and having cost American coffers an astronomical US$13 billion, the Gerald R. Ford weighs around 100,000 tons and is approximately 300 meters long (1,000 feet).
The ship can simultaneously house and operate up to 75 aircraft, including the feared F-35C Lightning II stealth fighters, F/A-18 Super Hornets strike fighters and E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning platforms.
The aircraft carrier has several air defense systems and missiles of the Sea Sparrow Evolved type, medium range used to combat drones and aircraft, and Rolling Airframe.
The Ford class was developed to replace and surpass the Nimitz class aircraft carriers. The efficiency and automation-focused design is projected to deliver an approximately 33% higher mission generation rate while reducing crewing requirements by 20% compared to older vessels.
Still, the ship houses almost 4,600 sailors during its service at sea. And it is precisely at this point that high technology comes up against a very human problem.
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The Gerald R. Ford is powered by two nuclear reactors and can cruise at over 55 km/h.
Fire and blocked drains
Recently, more than 100 beds were rendered unusable and about 200 sailors were evaluated for smoke inhalation after flames ripped through a laundry room, according to military officials.
They also said that while the fire was extinguished within hours, broader damage control efforts took about 30 hours.
In addition to the fire, the aircraft carrier also had problems with its sanitary facilities, with blocked drains and long lines in the bathrooms, according to RFI radio. A government report released in 2020 states that the ship’s drains become blocked “unexpectedly and frequently”, which requires regular cleaning at a cost of up to R$400,000.
Also according to RFI, the ship’s command reported that “drain clogging incidents are resolved quickly by personnel trained in troubleshooting and engineering, with minimal downtime.”
(With Estadão Content)
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