---
title: "The USS Gerald R. Ford Is Big, Heavy, and Expensive as Hell"
description: "America’s latest and greatest aircraft carrier by the numbers."
date: "2016-02-19"
modified: "2017-04-28"
authors:
  - name: "Will Sabel Courtney"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/will-sabel-courtney"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/2247/the-uss-gerald-r-ford-is-big-heavy-and-expensive-as-hell"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "boats"
  - "Military"
---

# The USS Gerald R. Ford Is Big, Heavy, and Expensive as Hell

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/uss-gerald-ford-infographic-thumbnail-v2_0.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Later this year, for the first time in more than four decades, the United States Navy will enter a new class of aircraft carrier into service. [The USS *Gerald R. Ford*](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Gerald_R._Ford>), named for [America’s first model-slash-president](<https://willrabbe.com/microblog/2012/12/5/gerald-ford-president-male-model-vintage-cover-of-cosmopolit.html>), [is a thoroughly modern carrier](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford-class_aircraft_carrier>) through and through. She’s the first American ship to use [an electromagnetic catapult to launch airplanes](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_Aircraft_Launch_System>). The first to feature stealth features. The first to use a new class of nuclear reactor capable of powering laser cannons and [deflector shields](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_Armor>).

Above all else, *Ford* is one giant, powerful, expensive mammajamma of a vessel.

![uss-gerald-ford-infographic-v6.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content/archive-images/uss-gerald-ford-infographic-v6.jpg>)
**Adam Lowe/TheDrive.com**

## Author
Will is the former managing editor of *RIDES Magazine* and the former online editor for *0-60 Magazine*. He has worked for *Time Out New York* and *Rolling Stone*, and was the creator of *College Cars Online*, the first automotive blog specifically targeted at college students and young professionals.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/willsabelcourtney>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/willscourtney>)