Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a $186.6 million cost plus fixed fee contract from the U.S. Navy to continue the engineering and design effort for the nation’s newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

The company’s Shipbuilding sector is the prime contractor. This planned contract modification funds additional design, planning and system integration activities and analysis to support CVN 78 construction. 

“This planned contract modification is essential to continuing the ship design to support construction,” said Mike Shawcross, vice president of aircraft carrier construction program. “Now that the design is in the three-dimensional product model our effort is focused on the production of instructions for the shops and ship assembly. We’re excited to continue progress on the engineering and construction of CVN 78.”  

Named after the 38th president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is the first ship of the new Gerald R. Ford class whose keel was laid Nov. 14, 2009. The Ford class will continue the legacy of highly capable U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ship platforms. Enhancements incorporated into the design include flight deck changes, improved weapons handling systems, and a redesigned island, all resulting in increased aircraft sortie rates. It will also include new nuclear power plants; increased electrical power generation capacity; allowance for future technologies; and reduced workload for the sailors, translating to a smaller crew size and reduced operating costs for the Navy. 

Source and picture: Northrop Grumman Corporation