Overview
- The Pentagon modified an existing contract to give General Dynamics NASSCO‑Norfolk $17,572,357 for an Emergent Maintenance Availability on USS Gerald R. Ford with work to be performed in Norfolk and expected to finish by March 2027.
- In March a non‑combat fire started in the carrier’s main laundry space, produced extensive smoke damage that affected about 100 berths, and took more than 30 hours to contain while reports questioned the ship’s fire‑suppression performance.
- Forward‑deployed maintenance teams carried out initial damage assessments and emergency repairs in Souda Bay, Crete, and at Lora Naval Base in Split, Croatia, enabling the carrier to stay on station and complete its mission before returning home.
- The ship also experienced repeated vacuum sewage clogs during the extended deployment that required costly acid flushes and have prompted planned upgrades to the vacuum collection and transfer system.
- The emergent award highlights wider readiness pressures on the Ford‑class: advanced, unproven systems and record‑long deployments have increased wear on the ship and could extend downtime as longer modernization work, including F‑35‑related upgrades, is scheduled.