A Close Look At The Single Most Expensive weapon ever created

[sreekimpact]

The USS Gerald R. Ford is the most expensive weapon ever created and will run about $11.5 billion, with three ships costing about $40.2 billion.

Even given these generous estimates, the Navy figures that the USS Gerald R. Ford could cost as much as $1.1 billion more than planned, making it far and away the service's most expensive warship.
Tony Capaccio at Bloomberg reports the Ford's rising costs were first noticed in August when planners understood their worst-case assessment would put the carrier at about 21 percent over its target cost (via Hampton Roads).
Currently being assembled in Newport News, Virginia, the Ford-class will replace the Nimitz-class carriers and will include an array of new technology.

Advanced arresting gear used to grab planes as they land on the deck.

Automation, which reduces crew requirements by several hundred from the Nimitz class carrier.

The updated RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missile system.

AN/SPY-3 dual-band radar (DBR), as developed for Zumwalt class destroyers.

An Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) in place of traditional steam catapults for launching aircraft.

A new nuclear reactor design (the A1B reactor) for greater power generation.

Stealthier features to help reduce radar profile.

The ability to launch the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and the F-35C Lightning II.

With fewer crew and the most modern equipment, the Navy hopes to reduce the cost of future carriers while an improved design of the ship's "island" will allow more sorties to be flown per day than before.
The Ford is expected to hit the water in 2015, with a 10 carrier fleet hoped for by 2040.

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[Mech]

Love 'em or hate 'em......but its just too darn impossible to get a bigger gun than the US of A.

 

[silko]

i thought the F-35 was the most expensive weapon platform ever built.

 

[SurvivoR]

Love 'em or hate 'em......but its just too darn impossible to get a bigger gun than the US of A.

That sure is True

 

[Archie]

I heard Somewhere that USN plans to downsize the fleet from 11 carriers to 8 By 2030 , with all Nimitz class carriers being retired except USS Harry S Trueman , USS Ronald Reagan and USS George H . W Bush

 

[applesauce]

i thought the F-35 was the most expensive weapon platform ever built.

its says weapon, as in not the entire weapons program, as in one, as in this one ship costs far more than a single f-35