Hagel Told New Carrier Unlikely to Meet Aircraft Goals -- Bloomberg
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was warned last month that the U.S. Navy’s new aircraft carrier, the most expensive warship ever built, is “unlikely” to meet its goal for handling aircraft.
The USS Gerald R. Ford’s “sortie generation” rate -- the ability to launch and recover aircraft -- is based on “unrealistic assumptions,” and key launching systems “are currently suffering from development problems and have poor or unknown reliability,” Pentagon Director of Operational Testing Michael Gilmore told Hagel in a Dec. 9 memo.
“I am transmitting this report to you because it deals with a high-visibility program, and it is likely Congress will request copies,” Gilmore wrote. He attached a 30-page report outlining his early “operational assessment” of the CVN-78 program, which calls for spending at least $40 billion to develop and build three carriers.
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Update #1: U.S. Navy's new $12 billion aircraft carrier may be LESS effective than older vessels and has problems with FOUR vital systems -- Daily Mail
Update #2: Navy’s new $12b aircraft carrier beset with performance problems -- Boston Globe
My Comment: When I read this story I could not help but say to myself .... "you got to be kidding". This is only going to raise even more questions on why are there so many problems with the Pentagon's procurement process.
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