Navy accepts delivery of $12.9B Gerald R. Ford

By Kevin Green

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — The US Navy is one step closer to unleashing its newest carrier.

Navy officials on Thursday announced that the $12.9 billion future USS Gerald R. Ford was delivered to the Navy from Newport News Shipbuilding.

This follows the ship’s recent completion of acceptance trials. Construction on the carrier went more than $2 billion over the expected $10.5 billion cost, and experienced a yearlong delay.

Gallery: Future USS Ford returns from sea trials

The Navy says the Ford is the first new-design carrier since the USS Nimitz in 1975 — and the first to join the fleet since the USS George H. W. Bush in 2009.

A larger flight deck will give the Ford the ability to host more aircraft, have more aviation fuel storage and carry additional weapons, according to the Navy.

The Gerald R. Ford is expected to be operational in 2020.