Navy League: US Navy leaders defend aircraft carrier Ford's technology

US Navy officials have touted the performance of new aircraft-launching systems aboard USS Gerald R Ford, shown here operating here in the Atlantic Ocean. (Michael Fabey)

US Navy (USN) officials have said aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78), which has been deployed for about a year, is likely to show an improved sortie rate over the prior class carriers, amid criticisms by President Donald Trump of Ford ‘s launch and recovery systems.

Trump has been particularly critical of Ford 's major new systems, such as the ship's Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for launching and recovering aircraft.

The president during his first administration called for a return to steam and hydraulic systems, and mentioned this again in October 2025 during his second.

“The president has been very vocal about his concerns,” Admiral Daryl Caudle, chief of naval operations (CNO), told reporters on 20 April during a media round table at the Navy League Sea Air Space Maritime Symposium in National Harbor, Maryland.

“We're always trying to look at that and address his concerns,” Adm Caudle said. However, he noted, “Every challenging, new technology has to bear startup costs.”

“ Ford is in its 11 month of deployment,” he said. “Those systems have performed pretty well. They've been wrung out.”

The parts supply chain for the systems and the ship is “getting healthy”, he said. “Trouble-shooting organisationally is getting better. I'm pretty happy [with Ford 's performance].”

The navy is studying that performance, though, and asking questions, he noted: “Are those systems as robust as they can be? What lesson have we learned?”