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CVN-78 Gerald W Ford

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  • #16
    Originally posted by blidgepump View Post
    Tophatter.....

    So we can count on Hollywood showers will being the standard on this new class of flattop? :whome:
    Hollywood showers have been the norm for many years. Even on the smaller vessels. From what I've been told even Burkes (with Reverse-osmosis desalination plants) hardly ever go to water hours.

    On the gator side, even 15 years ago, you couldn't find a shower head with a button. Unless you got stuck on some of the remaining Austin class boats.

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Gun Grape View Post
      Not a great idea shooting off lasers in the middle of a battle group. Friendly fire would be a bitch. 20mm and 30mm have a self destruct range. Lasers don't.
      Lasers don't miss...

      2 years ago they test fired a shipboard laser R2D2. Shot down 2 drones from a anchored ship, on a sunny day with low humidity.

      Raytheon admits there are serious problems with reliability (Burn through strength) in bad weather. Just like any laser system. Doesn't work good in smoke, fog, rain. Also no ability to Knock down high speed incoming missiles. You can urn holes in them but they and the large fragments will continue towards the target.
      technical problems nt much different than the evolution from smoothbore flintlock to m4 carbine except much more compressed. lasers can be tuned to ignore most weather.

      CBGs don't like to emit a "Powerful Energy Shield" around themselves. It attracts attention. With good EmCon, we routinely hid Carrier battle Groups off the coast of Norway during the Cold War. With real live bad guys trying to find us.
      That is because the CBG's had emissions that were easily detected. Give a CBG the ability to use powerful radars and remain undetected and they will use the radar. LPI aesa technology offers that. I don't know if the navy is using the technology but the technology exists.

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      • #18
        Originally posted by zraver View Post
        Lasers don't miss...
        Sure they do. They only don't miss when the computer calculates the proper aim point. Especially when the firing platform is rolling,pitching and yawing at the same time.

        Otherwise the Airborne laser system would have been a success from day 1.


        technical problems nt much different than the evolution from smoothbore flintlock to m4 carbine except much more compressed. lasers can be tuned to ignore most weather.
        As a former laser operator, I'll say BS. We have been using laser designators since 1968. Still cannot get them to work in a heavy rain. Its that pesky refraction thing. Much more important when you are using the laser as the weapon and not the designator.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by surfgun View Post
          As her construction is coming along, and it is to become the new standard of what an Aircraft Carrier aspires to be, I find it appropriate to start this thread to monitor the construction and trials of the pre-commissioning unit Gerald Ford as she readies to join the fleet.

          This first post includes a link that illustrates the order of in which she is being assembled.

          Ford class: 3D build sequence - Newport News Shipbuilding
          Lego building!

          To me, as an armchair admiral, the diference that really pops up is the new tower. Not so much it's size, but it's position: it's so far back, it almost looks like the pilots will have to be extra carefull not to hit it on landing! But it does give the tower crew a much better view of the deck. And now they'll also be able to see all the elevators from the front tower windows (gallery?)

          CVN 78

          Nimitz class

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          • #20
            Most powerful collection of weapons the world has ever seen I reckon (excluding nukes)

            I would put money on it that it is the last aircraft carrier class the US builds. One of the Gerald's sisters will probably still be sailing in 2100.

            One thing that is a worry is the cost of these babies. I read recently of another 1billions in cost overruns.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Gun Boat View Post

              One thing that is a worry is the cost of these babies. I read recently of another 1billions in cost overruns.
              Not much more than the cost associated with moving a few air force squadrons in wartime.
              Ego Numquam

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              • #22
                Besides, that baby carries so much new tech, that overrun is to be expected...

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by jlvfr View Post
                  Besides, that baby carries so much new tech, that overrun is to be expected...
                  Why it is expected? After all she is on time. How much new tech has been introduced in the last 3-4 years that could higher the price for $1bn?

                  P.S. idk about the rest of you guys, but calling Gerald Ford is kinda weird to me
                  No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                  To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                    Why it is expected? After all she is on time. How much new tech has been introduced in the last 3-4 years that could higher the price for $1bn?
                    Assuming the overrun includes all the research and integration of the new systems, you have:
                    -a new generation nuclear reactor
                    -the EMALS cat system
                    -new kinds of elevators

                    The development of those alone will eat up money. Integrating them in the carrier will eat up more. I expect the 2nd in the class will be considerably cheaper; the -78 will be a guinea pig...

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                    • #25
                      They were not in the original plan when they signed the contract?
                      No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                      To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                        They were not in the original plan when they signed the contract?
                        Sure they were. But every new tech costs more to develop than expected/admited by the developer. And, since the new class carries so much of it, an extra overrun is to be expected. Tbh, I understand the -78's overruns more than the LCS, for example...

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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by jlvfr View Post
                          Sure they were. But every new tech costs more to develop than expected/admited by the developer. And, since the new class carries so much of it, an extra overrun is to be expected. Tbh, I understand the -78's overruns more than the LCS, for example...
                          To be clear, I am not affected by the increase, but rather surprised when the cuts are everywhere around
                          No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                          To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                            To be clear, I am not affected by the increase, but rather surprised when the cuts are everywhere around
                            You mean the cuts in other "overruned" programs?

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by Doktor View Post

                              P.S. idk about the rest of you guys, but calling Gerald Ford is kinda weird to me
                              Yes, let's hope she doesn't trip over herself like Jerry.

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by Gun Grape View Post
                                Sure they do. They only don't miss when the computer calculates the proper aim point. Especially when the firing platform is rolling,pitching and yawing at the same time.

                                Otherwise the Airborne laser system would have been a success from day 1.
                                thats a tracking issue, not a weapon issue. If the mount is properly tracking the laser wont miss. Tracking with a DEW is also easier because there is no need to build in a lead, slew directly on target and fire.

                                If the tracking is off and a friendly is hit, a laser designed to defeat think skinned things like missiles and aircraft is unlikely to serious damage a steel arship. and there is no shrapnel.

                                As a former laser operator, I'll say BS. We have been using laser designators since 1968. Still cannot get them to work in a heavy rain. Its that pesky refraction thing. Much more important when you are using the laser as the weapon and not the designator.
                                You can say BS all you want, but different substances are tuned to different freqs. You can tune a laser to virtually ignore a number of non-opaque substances including water vapor and droplets. In fact you can even tune lasers to ignore water particles of a certain size and while being especially tuned to other droplets of a certain size. This is letting scientists look inside of rain clouds to literally count rain drops. Your information is out of date.

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