The Crazy Life Inside World’s Largest $13 Billion Aircraft Carrier in Middle of the Ocean

Summary

The video script introduces the USS Gerald R Ford, the U.S. Navy's largest aircraft carrier, commissioned in 2017 at a cost of $13 billion. The carrier, 1100 feet long, is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communication systems. Life on board is akin to a floating city, with a crew of 4,500 maintaining readiness through drills and training. The ship's food service division caters to the culinary needs of the crew, and special events like Thanksgiving are celebrated with elaborate feasts. The video also highlights the importance of maintenance, fitness programs, and the crucial role of underway replenishment for extended missions. The flight deck operations are a testament to the carrier's dynamic environment, showcasing the teamwork and precision required for launching and recovering aircraft.

Takeaways

• 💰 The USS Gerald R Ford is the largest and most expensive aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy, costing nearly 13 billion dollars.
• 🚢 It took Newport News shipbuilding nearly four years to construct this massive 1100-foot long vessel.
• 🔗 The ship requires mooring lines as thick as a man's arm and tugboats to navigate out of shallow waters due to its size.
• 💨 The Gerald R Ford can reach speeds of over 35 miles per hour, but its rudder system is less effective at slower speeds.
• 🛳 The ship functions like a floating city with 4,500 crew members and a variety of daily operations, including meticulous deck inspections for foreign object debris (FOD).
• 🗺 The navigation bridge, situated on a 555-metric ton island, is the heart of the carrier where air control and navigation take place, equipped with traditional and modern navigation tools.
• 🍽️ The food service division on the Gerald R Ford prepares around 12,000 meals a day for the crew, focusing on customer satisfaction and meeting Navy dietary requirements.
• 🎉 The ship is known for its festive celebrations, particularly its Thanksgiving dinner, which involves extensive preparation and can include up to 50 turkeys and 25 cuts of prime rib.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Fitness is a priority on the carrier, with programs like the 77-day warrior challenge to encourage physical activity among the crew.
• 🔧 Maintenance is crucial on the ship, with crews capable of fabricating replacement parts for essential systems like air conditioning while at sea.
• ⛽ The U.S. military uses underway replenishment to supply ships at sea with fuel, water, and munitions, allowing them to stay on mission without returning to port.

Q & A

What was the significance of the USS Gerald R Ford's commissioning in July 2017?

The USS Gerald R Ford was officially commissioned as the United States military's largest aircraft carrier, marking a significant advancement in naval aviation capabilities.

How much did the USS Gerald R Ford cost and how long did it take to construct?

The USS Gerald R Ford cost nearly 13 billion dollars and took nearly four years to construct by Newport News shipbuilding.

What is the role of the mooring lines on an aircraft carrier like the USS Gerald R Ford?

Mooring lines hold the ship to the dock and can be as thick as a man's arm and weigh thousands of pounds, requiring significant time to prepare the ship to move away from the docks.

How does the USS Gerald R Ford navigate out of shallow waters?

The ship requires assistance from a team of tugboats to push and pull it until it is out in deeper water, as its traditional rudder system cannot turn effectively at slower speeds.

What is the top speed of the USS Gerald R Ford?

The USS Gerald R Ford can reach speeds of more than 35 miles per hour.

What is the significance of the foreign object debris (FOD) walks on the aircraft carrier?

FOD walks are conducted daily to meticulously inspect the deck for any foreign objects that might accidentally get stuck into an aircraft jet intake, ensuring the safety of the aircraft operations.

Where is the navigation bridge located on the USS Gerald R Ford?

The navigation bridge is located on a 555-metric ton island situated on the ship's deck, serving as the tallest part of the ship where most of the air control and navigation takes place.

How does the USS Gerald R Ford ensure navigation in case of an EMP attack or loss of satellite contact?

In such scenarios, the ship would need to navigate using traditional methods like maps, sextants, and other centuries-old navigation tools.

What is the role of the food service division on the USS Gerald R Ford?

The food service division, consisting of a large team of culinary specialists, is responsible for supplying three regular meals, snacks, and more to the ship's crew, focusing on customer satisfaction and meeting the Navy's dietary and health requirements.

How many meals does the culinary team on the USS Gerald R Ford prepare daily?

The culinary team on the USS Gerald R Ford is tasked with preparing around 12,000 meals a day.

What special event does the USS Gerald R Ford's culinary team prepare for Thanksgiving?

For Thanksgiving, the culinary team spends roughly two days prepping, which in 2018 included 50 turkeys, 40 hams, and 25 cuts of prime rib, with the event being open to sailors and their families.

How does the USS Gerald R Ford maintain crew readiness and familiarity with the ship?

The crew engages in various training actions, works with a wide variety of equipment and vehicles, and participates in drills such as firefighting functions to maintain readiness and maximize familiarity with every aspect of the ship.

What is the purpose of the underway replenishment system used by aircraft carriers?

The underway replenishment system allows aircraft carriers to receive fuel, water, and munitions, and offload unsafe waste while at sea, enabling them to stay on mission without having to return to port.

How does the catabar system assist in launching aircraft from the USS Gerald R Ford?

The catabar system attaches to the front wheel of an aircraft and flings it forward at speeds of around 160 miles per hour, allowing the plane to become airborne despite the limited runway space on the carrier.

What is the role of the various colored vest teams on the flight deck of the USS Gerald R Ford?

Purple vests are for fueling planes, yellow and green vests work with the catabar system and direct planes, and red vests are tasked with weapons preparation and mounting.

How is the flight deck activity on the USS Gerald R Ford coordinated?

Activity on the flight deck is observed and directed from the launch bubble, also known as the Catapult control station, which provides an eye-level view across the entire operation and monitors weather conditions.