The world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) steam the Adriatic Sea, June 23, 2023. Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, representing a generational leap in the U.S. Navy's capacity to project power on a global scale. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins)
The next two Ford-class aircraft carriers are running significantly behind schedule than previously estimated, a Navy official told lawmakers last Tuesday.
In his opening oral and written statements before the Senate Armed Services Seapower subcommittee, Rear…