CVN-81.COMPRESERVE THE NAMECVN-81.COMPRESERVE THE NAMEThe fourth Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, now under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding.
The Gerald R. Ford class introduced a redesigned island and flight deck, the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), advanced weapons elevators, increased electrical capacity and other changes intended to improve operational efficiency and provide growth margin for future systems. An August 2026 presidential memorandum directed the Navy to develop a plan to replace EMALS and the advanced weapons elevators on CVN-81 with steam and hydraulic systems, so CVN-81-specific launch and elevator details remain unsettled.
CVN-81 follows USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), and USS Enterprise (CVN-80).
Because Doris Miller is still under construction, this site avoids presenting uncertain ship-specific performance figures as settled facts. Class-level capabilities are identified as Gerald R. Ford-class information, and construction milestones are updated as authoritative sources publish them.
CVN-81.com commemorative artwork · unofficial · not a U.S. Navy ship crest