The Gerald R. Ford stands as the most expensive and largest carrier ever constructed, initially estimated at $13 billion in 2005, which later ballooned to $14 billion by 2009.

This supercarrier boasts a displacement of about 112,000 short tons (100,000 metric tons) and impressive dimensions: a length of 1,106 feet (337 meters), a 134-foot (41 meters) waterline beam, a 256-foot (78 meters) flight deck beam, and towering at nearly 250 feet (76 meters) above the waterline.

Gerald R. Ford, along with her sister ships, carries an impressive arsenal, including F-35C Joint Strike Fighters, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler electronic attack jets, E-2D Hawkeye airborne early-warning and control aircraft, C-2 Greyhound carrier onboard delivery (COD) planes, MH-60S Seahawk helicopters, MQ-25 Stingray refueling and intelligence collection drones, and potentially a new long-range strike drone.

Accommodating 4,539 personnel, this carrier represents a significant leap in technology with its redesigned flight deck, computer-aided design, and advanced Bechtel A1B reactors, generating 600 megawatts of electricity – enough to power 260,000 detached houses. It also boasts the groundbreaking Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear for launching and recovering aircraft, along with cutting-edge radar systems, missile launchers, and self-defense weaponry. The addition of laser self-defense weapons makes it a crucial asset against hypersonic ship killer missiles from adversaries like China and Russia, raising the Navy's carrier force to eleven ships with its active service.
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