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Contract awarded for first carrier of new class

The Navy awarded Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding a $5.1 billion contract Wednesday to begin construction of the first ship of a new class of aircraft carrier.

Northrop’s Newport News, Va., shipyard will build the carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), lead ship of the first new class of nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carriers in more than four decades.

The Newport News yard is the only shipyard in the world currently capable of building the large aircraft carriers used by the Navy. CVN 78-class ships are expected to displace around 100,000 tons with a length of nearly 1,100 feet. The design of the new flattops includes a new flight deck with an improved weapon handling system, advanced arresting gear, a newly developed electromagnetic aircraft launch system, new and simplified nuclear propulsion plants and a new electrical power generation system.

The last 10 aircraft carriers belong to the Nimitz class. Construction on the carrier Nimitz (CVN 68) began in 1967 and the ship entered service in 1975. The tenth and last ship of the class, the George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), is expected to be delivered to the Navy in 2009.

The new, seven-year cost-plus incentive fee contract covers the detail design and construction of the Gerald R. Ford. Advance construction of the ship began in 2005 under a separate contract valued at $2.7 billion. Total cost of the new carrier is expected to be about $11 billion; Keel-laying is scheduled to take place in the fall of 2009 with delivery to the fleet in 2015.

Northrop also announced the delivery of the USS Green Bay (LPD 20), the fourth and latest unit of the San Antonio LPD 17-class of amphibious transport dock ships. The Green Bay ran its Navy acceptance trials in August and was turned over to the service on Aug. 29.

The ship successfully rode out Hurricane Gustav at its building yard in Pascagoula, Miss., Northrop said.

The Green Bay, which will be homeported at San Diego, is expected to be commissioned into service early next year.