The daughter of the former US president, Susan Ford Bales, broke the traditional champagne bottle at a ceremony in the port of Newport News, Virginia, near the sprawling Norfolk naval base.
"May God bless and watch over the USS Gerald R. Ford, those who built her and the men and women who will sail her into harm's way," a teary Bales said moments before shattering the bottle against the hulking ship on a sparkling autumn morning.
A parade of dignitaries, friends and relatives of the late president spoke at the christening, which was also a celebration of the life of Ford, the 38th US president.
"He was a man of courage and solid values, and I know the men and women who sail this ship will bring those same qualities in their service to our nation," former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told the audience.Other speakers included Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin.
The pomp belied problems with the project, however, which is only 70 percent complete, with delivery postponed until February 2016.
And faced with automatic budget cuts and the need to fund other programs, including submarines, the Navy's chief of staff, Admiral Jonathan Greenert has warned the service may have to delay completing the Ford "by two years."
The move would force the United States to rely on a fleet of 10 existing carriers and means "lowering surge capacity" in a crisis, he added.
US law requires the military to maintain 11 aircraft carriers, but at the moment only 10 are available since the retirement of the USS Enterprise in 2012.
The current carrier fleet, launched between 1975 to 2009, are Nimitz-class ships, but the Ford, or CVN 78, represents a new class of carrier with a new design, which will be followed by the John F. Kennedy and new Enterprise carriers. All have a similar length of about 1,090 feet (330 meters).
Via: Newsmax
Continue Reading......
