Blackmer Awarded Contract for Gerald R. Ford Class of Carriers

The Military/Marine Products Group within Blackmer, a Dover Company, and global leader in the design and manufacture of positive displacement rotary vane, centrifugal pump and compressor technologies, has won three contracts for the next United States Navy Aircraft Carrier (CVN 78). The carrier will display the name of the late former President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford. This ship, which will be the first in its class, will be built in Newport News, VA, by Northrop Grumman/Newport News Shipyard with delivery to the Navy slated for 2015.

Blackmer has been working with Northrop Grumman/Newport News Shipyard on these contracts for more than two years in various stages of bid proposals, engineering design and contract negotiations. Pumping applications for the Ford will include jet fuel and fire-fighting foam (AFFF). The lead pumping units — which are positive displacement rotary vane pumps, specially designed for the demanding services found on naval combat ships — will have to undergo shock and noise qualifications, along with both shipyard and Navy approval. This process will take more than one-and-a-half years to complete before the production units will be approved for delivery.

The awards continue a long history of Blackmer supplying pumping units to every combat vessel in the United States Navy. Since 1914, Blackmer has been a proud supplier to the U.S. Military and for the past 50-plus years has provided mission-critical flow solutions for the U.S. Navy. Recognized as one of the true industry specialists, today Blackmer is the standard for ship service worldwide, and is a key strategic supplier not only to the U.S. Military but also to NATO Services and the French Military/Marine Services for vane and centrifugal pumps.