US Navy/MCS2 Jackson Adkins
- USS Gerald R. Ford, the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier, will deploy in early May.
- USS Ford is the first carrier of its class and has an array of new and advanced technology.
- That technology has also been a headache, contributing to years of delays and cost overruns.
The US Navy's newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, will deploy in early May, sailing with its escorts for the first time as a fully certified carrier strike group, a major milestone after years of problems that have delayed the ship and frustrated officials.
Ford has "fully transitioned to an in-service ship," Capt. Brian Metcalf, program manager for Ford-class carriers, said at the Sea, Air, Space exhibition in National Harbor, Maryland on April 4.