The Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) aircraft carrier officially completed its 18-month post-delivery test and trials (PDT&T) period at the end of April, the Navy announced May 5, and outlined the next steps to deployment. PDT&T began in October 2019, following a 15-month post-shakedown availability period. The culminating mission of the PDT&T was completing the carrier’s combat systems ship’s qualification trials in April, which verified that personnel are capable of operating and maintaining combat systems in a safe and effective manner. The carrier completed all required testing, certified the flight deck, embarked an air wing, completed work ahead of schedule, improved system reliability for new technologies, and served as the primary East Coast carrier qualification platform for naval aviators. Completing the ship’s Combat Systems Qualification was a significant milestone, according to Capt. Brian Metcalf, PMS 378 program manager for the Ford-class said in a statement. The ship qualified or requalified over 439 naval aviators amid testing the performance of combat systems and conducting shore-based maintenance between independent steaming events (ISEs) during the PDT&T. Advanced planning and collaboration among Navy and industry accelerated CVN-78’s operational readiness that helped log many more tests of the newest systems, namely the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG). (Source: Defense Daily 05/05/21) Ford-class carriers are built by Huntington Ingalls Industries in Virginia. Its EMALS were initially tested at General Atomics’ Tupelo, Miss., facility. https://www.defensedaily.com/navy-completes-ford-carrier-18-month-pdtt-period-touts-success-outlines-next-steps/uncategorized/
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