DID Press: Bloomberg reports reveal that the $13.2 billion aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which departed the region shortly after the onset of the Ramadan conflict, is grappling with major issues far beyond a minor fire.
Leaked Pentagon assessments indicate that even nine years after its commissioning, sufficient data to evaluate the carrier’s operational effectiveness is lacking. Critical problems include fighter launch and recovery system failures, radar malfunctions, and ammunition elevator issues.
Reports also highlight crew strain due to limited berths and a nine-month deployment, raising doubts about the ship’s reliability in combat and its ability to continue operations if damaged.
These revelations challenge previous U.S. narratives framing the earlier fire as minor, suggesting that Gerald Ford’s operational challenges are far more extensive.