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USS Gerald R Ford Reaches A Construction Milestone
businessinsider ^

Posted on 05/27/2012 9:06:09 PM PDT by moonshot925

The USS Gerald R. Ford, a huge new aircraft carrier, reached a milestone in its pricey and extensive construction Thursday when its final keel section was lowered into place at Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.

The 680-metric-ton lower bow unit is one of the largest of the 500 modules that will make up the completed ship and is over 60-feet-tall.

The bulbous bow seen in the picture shifts water flow around the hull, reducing drag and thus increasing speed, range, fuel efficiency, and stability. Carriers with bulbous bows have achieve about 12 to 15 percent increased fuel efficiency than vessels without them.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-uss-gerald-r-ford-reaches-a-construction-milestone-2012-5?op=1#ixzz1w8MTW7yd

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans; Science
KEYWORDS: aircraft; carrier; cvn78; ford; gerald
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To: cva66snipe

Ahemz

“reducing drag and thus increasing speed, range, fuel efficiency, and stability”

The speed and stability increases are independent of the power source.


21 posted on 05/28/2012 3:41:37 AM PDT by saganite (What happens to taglines? Is there a termination date?)
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To: moonshot925

Let’s hope it doesn’t fall down the stairs.


22 posted on 05/28/2012 4:26:49 AM PDT by frithguild (You can call me Snippy the Anti-Freeper)
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To: saganite
The speed and stability increases are independent of the power source.

Somewhat. There is a post on another thread a while back that said the older KH class conventionals and even the Forestall class out preformed the Nimitz class in speed because of hull design. Big E was the exception on the nukes because she was a modified KH class design which for the era makes sense. Post 56 another thread

All carriers even in the Forestall class except Forestall which was the last 600psi powered carrier seemed to have higher flank speed than a Nimitz class because of hull design.

23 posted on 05/28/2012 5:10:52 AM PDT by cva66snipe (Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?)
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To: Red_Devil 232

WOW... by moving the island so far aft, they have significantly reduced the size of the junkyard... i guess they do not expect aircraft to go down while on the deck...


24 posted on 05/28/2012 5:27:45 AM PDT by joe fonebone (I am the 15%)
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To: cva66snipe
LOL It's a nuke. Why would it matter?

Well in reality it doesn't, I just thought it semi-humorous to tweak the enviromental wackjobs by citing 'greater efficiency' as a way to kill our enemies with less energy. ;)
25 posted on 05/28/2012 5:28:42 AM PDT by mkjessup (Eternal Vigilance (aka FReeper Tom Hoefling) has my vote for President in 2012.)
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To: moonshot925
Got her nickname ready to go: "The Big Pardon"
26 posted on 05/28/2012 6:51:48 AM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: al baby

Magslinger has a NavAir ping list. Haven’t heard anything from him since the beginning of April.


27 posted on 05/28/2012 8:07:36 AM PDT by Vroomfondel
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To: moonshot925
485/208 = 2.3317

X/208 = 1.35

X = 280.8

28 posted on 05/28/2012 10:52:42 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro is a Kenyan communist)
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To: moonshot925

Shore Power: Nimitz Class 4.16 kV; Ford Class 13.8 kV

How’d you like to haul that cable up the gangplank?


29 posted on 05/28/2012 7:50:18 PM PDT by Thrownatbirth (.....Iraq Invasion fan since '91.)
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To: puppypusher; cva66snipe

It does matter...the more efficient the hull design the less wear and tear on the propulsion plant, and the less power that needs to be generated by the reactor plant.

This 12-15 percent increase in efficiency translates directly to increased service life of both the reactor and the propulsion plant. This translates directly to more time at sea for the USS Ford.


30 posted on 05/28/2012 8:02:33 PM PDT by rottndog (Be Prepared.....for what's coming AFTER America.)
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