USS Gerald R. Ford Completes First Arrested Landing
Less than one week after Pres. Donald J. Trump commissioned the U.S. Navy's newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) launched and recovered its first fixed-wing aircraft July 28, 2017, off the coast of Virginia. The first arrested landing, or "trap", occurred at 3:10 PM (EST) and the first catapult launch happened at 4:37 PM (EST). Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Struck of Tallmedge, Ohio piloted the F/A-18F Superhornet from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 based at Patuxent River, Maryland. The Superhornet caught the number two arresting wire of Ford's advanced arresting gear (AAG) system and was launched from catapult one using the electromagnetic launch system (EMALS). "Today, USS Gerald R.
F-35C Completes Sea Trials
The F-35C Lightning II carrier variant Joint Strike Fighter completed its first phase of developmental test (DT) aboard an aircraft carrier Nov. 14, three days ahead of schedule aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68). During the DT-I event, F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) the F-35 Lightning II Integrated Test Force (ITF) from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland, tested the carrier suitability of the aircraft and its integration with carrier air and deck operations in the at-sea environment, achieving 100 percent of the threshold test points. The aircraft demonstrated exceptional performance throughout its initial sea trails…
Unmanned Navy Carrier Aircraft Program: Progress Update
One year ago, Sailors watched an unmanned air vehicle take-off from a nuclear-powered carrier flight deck for the first time in naval aviation history, says Capt. "May 14, 2013 was an extraordinary day for the Navy. The crew from USS George H.W. Bush launched the X-47B that morning off the coast of Virginia. The tailless, autonomous unmanned aircraft took to the skies, while the flight crew on deck celebrated this historic achievement. Our Naval Air Forces Commander Vice Adm. David Buss called it “a watershed event” as he watched from the flight deck. He compared this event to aviation pioneer Eugene Ely’s first-ever landing on the deck of a ship in 1911. In July, the UCAS-D team went back to the ship and took testing one step further.
GW Completes Last Underway Before Yard Period
Ammunition is transferred from the hangar to the flight deck during an ammunition offload aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73). The Norfolk, Va.-based Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is currently conducting training off the coast of Virginia. U.S. USS George Washington (GW) (CVN 73) returned to Naval Station Norfolk Sept. 1, following a two-and-a-half week underway period in preparation of the upcoming Planned Incremental Availability plus Docking (PIA+D). It was the last at sea period before GW goes to Norfolk Naval Shipyard. “This has been a tremendous underway, a complete success in every regard,” said Rear Adm. Garry R. White, GW’s commanding officer.
