The USS Gerald R. Ford is in the middle of its “planned incremental availability” maintenance period—and will almost certainly remain out of action until late 2027.

The United States Navy’s newest and largest nuclear-powered supercarrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), completed its record-long deployment in May of this year. During the 326 days it spent away from Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, the warship traveled to Europe twice, operating in the North Sea and the Mediterranean. It was also dispatched to the Caribbean and Red Sea, where it suffered a fire in its laundry facility last March.

CVN-78 is also still due to receive upgrades that will enable it to operate with the F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighter.

Yet, given that the warship must undergo a bit more than routine maintenance, it was reported that the US Navy planned to address the repairs in just six months. That was according to Norfolk Naval Shipyard Commander Rear Admiral Kavon Hakimzadah, who spoke during a roundtable on Monday.

“Gerald R. Ford, sitting in our shipyard right now, we had a planned incremental availability in place [for] six months,” Hakimzadah told reporters at the roundtable, according to Breaking Defense.

“It was 10 months, I promised the Fleet commander we could do it in six months,” Hakimzadah said. “So we set that in place while she was on deployment before she had a fire… I’m still going to deliver that ship back in six months, but we’ve set up a second availability that is overseen by the regional maintenance center with a commercial partner, with a commercial vendor, that is running that availability.”

What Is a “Planned Incremental Availability”?

The clock is already ticking, but exactly when it started may still be a matter of interpretation. The USS Gerald R. Ford entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for its Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) in July. That is the scheduled maintenance period when a US Navy aircraft carrier goes to a shipyard for major repairs, upgrades, and modernization.

Each PIA typically includes upgrades to the warship’s combat systems, networks, and other equipment. The PIAs focus on depot-level hull, mechanical, electrical, and combat systems, but berthing compartments, racks, and living spaces are also routinely updated, refurnished, and upgraded. The US Navy even prioritizes sailor habitability during a PIA to improve morale and living conditions after demanding deployments.

In the case of CVN-78, the repairs could be extensive, as the ship suffered a fire that, according to reports, lasted as long as 36 hours.

Maintenance periods also frequently touch other crew-centric spaces like gyms, laundry facilities, and entertainment areas.

It is hard to accurately predict how long it will take the shipyard to complete the work. Most PIAs run between six to eight months, but long deployments, like the one that the USS Gerald R. Ford underwent, can add to the PIA time. The Ford’s maintenance crew must also account for the damage from the fire, which could contribute to further delays.

“For every 30 days that the ship is extended on deployment, it adds 6 percent of maintenance, so five months extra would add 30 percent for maintenance,” Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao told lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee in May.

Heavy repairs and extensive modernization to US Navy carriers have resulted in PIAs extending to 10 months or even up to a year. However, there is a ray of hope for the Navy: both the second-oldest and the newest Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarriers, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), completed their respective PIAs at Norfolk Naval Shipyard ahead of schedule.

Ford Still Won’t Deploy Until the End of 2027—at the Earliest!

Even if CVN-78 is able to complete its PIA in six months, a near-miraculous outcome, it won’t leave the Norfolk Naval Shipyard until sometime in January. Then it will require several months of post-PIA sea trials, training, and certifications. As a point of comparison, it is worth noting that the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower completed its PIA in April, yet continues to make ready for its next deployment.

At the absolute earliest, the USS Gerald R. Ford won’t be ready to take on its 2027 mission until at least a year from now, but perhaps even later.

Some things can’t be rushed, and readying a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, its embarked air wing, and its escorting strike group for action is one of those.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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