The ship suffered a serious “laundry fire” during the US-Israeli attack on Iran and is now expected to undergo a long-term repair.
The nuclear-powered USS Gerald R. Ford, the US Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier and the only ship in its class, is currently docked in the Croatian port of Split for repairs and maintenance. The media has reported that the ship is there to stay, since it is undergoing maintenance after the main “laundry fire” and long-term deployments can take between 12 and 14 months.
Delivered years behind schedule in May 2017, the Ford was the most expensive US warship ever built, costing $13.2 billion. The ship’s most recent long-term deployment began June 24 and included combat operations during the U.S. attack on Venezuela to kidnap President Nicolas Maduro, as well as in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.
The large aircraft was quickly withdrawn from the Middle East theater in mid-March, after suffering a fire that was allegedly not combat-related. The ship docked temporarily in Crete for damage assessment before heading to Croatia for repairs.
Laundry fire?
The deployment lasted more than 260 days and ranks as one of the longest patrols since the Vietnam War, which ended on March 12 shortly after the ship crossed the Suez Canal and entered the Red Sea. According to an official statement from the United States Central Command, that’s where the body is “had a fire that started in the main laundry areas of the ship.”
“The cause of the fire is non-combat related and has been brought under control. There is no damage to the ship’s propulsion system, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational. Two sailors are currently receiving treatment for non-life threatening injuries and are in stable condition,” CENTCOM said at the time.
The incident sparked much speculation, with the Iranian military claiming the cargo’s laundry room was deliberately set on fire by war-weary crew members.
Western media reports indicated that the fire started 30 hours before it was extinguished – much longer than the fatal fire of the 1967 USS Forrestal carrier, which burned for about 24 hours. If true, it raises questions about the state of the supposedly sophisticated fire extinguishing systems on the Ford, especially considering that the Forrestal fire was caused by the explosion of ammunition stored on the flight deck and burning fuel entering the cabins.
More than 600 of the nearly 4,500 sailors, tech workers, and pilots lost their bunks in the fire, ending up forced to sleep on tables and floors, the New York Times reported, citing unidentified workers. In addition, the workers have not been able to wash their clothes since the fire, which is said to have ended up being transported by plane to another ship for washing.
Damage assessment
After arriving in Crete last weekend, the cargo plane appeared to show no superficial signs of damage, apart from appearing weathered from its long deployment around the world.
The ship’s flight deck, however, appeared to be unusually full of aircraft, which could indicate problems with the internal hangars and hoistways.
A recent assessment from the Pentagon’s test office showed that the military was aware of the serious problems with the Ford class, but even nine years after the ship entered service, it still had “insufficient data” decide his “operating efficiency.”
The report also raised concerns about the reliability of critical systems, including radar, the jet’s launch and recovery systems, and its lifting systems and weapons, as well as the ship’s overall ability to continue operations in the event of combat damage. The assessment also noted that the ship was at least 159 bunks short to adequately accommodate the crew, with the issue likely to become more severe if more aircraft are added to the carrier’s wing. A lack of sleeping space can negatively affect crew morale on long deployments, the pilot office noted.
Plumbing problems
Prior to the Red Sea fire, Ford’s most well-known technical issue was its faulty toilet system, with excrement reportedly flooding the superyacht.
The tool is known to have a known “eco toilets” installed which is based on a vacuum collection, holding, and transfer (VCHT) system, originating from the cruise ship industry. The technology turned out to be substandard for the Navy, prone to clogging and requiring major repairs.
Many pictures and videos believed to have been taken on board the ship and circulated online show toilets overflowing with feces, stagnant water spreading throughout the cabins and unlucky sailors in the toilet trying to clean up the mess.
The toilet issue, which is said to affect 600 units on the ship, has been going on for years. A 2020 report from the General Accountability Office showed the flawed system needed “bad” additional daily maintenance to unclog each narrow pipe “acid shower” of the system needed when it ended up being completely clogged ended up costing an additional $400,000 instead of being environmentally friendly and cost effective.
Broader implications for the Navy?
If Ford stays out of commission for several months, it will have to put more emphasis on American strike groups, which will lead to a longer deployment of large Nimitz-class carriers. The US Navy currently has 11 active duty carriers, including the Ford, but it is rare for more than six to be deployed at one time.
The first ship of the old series, the USS Nimitz, is likely to be deployed for the last time, as it is scheduled to be decommissioned next year and replaced by the Ford-class USS John F. Kennedy. Given the repeated delays and apparent issues with the Ford class, however, the withdrawal may be postponed.
Another Nimitz-class ship, the USS John C. Stennis, is likely to spend most of the year in port. The carrier has been undergoing an Oil and Gas Overhaul (RCOH) since 2021, a multi-year process costing billions of dollars. Stennis was originally scheduled to undergo his RCOH by August last year, but the deadline was missed and extended by 14 months.
