US Navy is reviewing cost of future Ford-class carriers to ensure they ‘make sense’

Recently ousted Navy Secretary John Phelan told reporters Tuesday that the service is analyzing the cost and design of two aircraft carriers it is set to procure in the coming years. Phelan, who left his position as the civilian leader of the U.S. Navy on Wednesday shortly after delivering remarks to the media at the Sea-Air-Space symposium in Washington, said the service was looking at the future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, the USS William J. Clinton and the USS George W. Bush, to ensure that the finances behind the them align with the Navy’s budget and overarching goals. “We are looking at 82 [CVN-82] and 83 [CVN-83] to review the costs, the designs, the systems, to make sure that they make sense,” Phelan said. “I think that it’s a prudent and practical thing for us to do, given the costs of them as a percentage of the budget and how we are thinking about the force design and our needs going forward,” Phelan continued. The service is not only looking at how much it will take to build the future ships, but also how much it will cost to sustain and maintain them as well. The flagship Ford-class carrier USS Gerald R. Ford cost roughly $13 billion to manufacture. The Bush is slated for procurement in 2034, according to Congress, which did not list a potential price tag. The Clinton is slated for delivery in 2040, with a currently unavailable procurement cost . The Navy’s fiscal 2026 budget submission requested $612 million in advanced procurement funding for the ship. RELATED Newest Ford-class carrier USS John F. Kennedy aces sea trials Getting the appropriate bang for the Navy’s buck means questioning the degree to which the Ford is, in fact, superior to older Nimitz-class carriers, according to the former Navy secretary. “Is the sortie rate generation that much greater?” Phelan said. “And then what are the cost implications of this electric catapult? Did it really generate the savings? The Navy would like to say we’ve saved $5 billion in terms of savings in number of men and maintenance. I just need to check that back up.” Nimitz-class carriers use a steam-powered catapult system to propel jets forward off the ship, while Ford-class carriers use an electromagnetic aircraft launch system meant to provide increased dependability, better acceleration and a higher sortie rate due to a lower demand for maintenance. A February Navy release said that the USS Gerald R. Ford’s electromagnetic aircraft launch system contributed to an “increased sortie generation rate,” though the service was still analyzing the data. President Donald Trump criticized Ford-class carriers’ catapult system in 2025, claiming he was unsure if the system could continue to function if water got onto the magnets. He voiced his preference for the steam catapults. This type of review isn’t just specific to carriers, Phelan said, and is being applied to every Navy program. The carriers in question are the fifth and sixth of the Ford-class. The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently the only Ford-class carrier in service, with the USS John F. Kennedy, USS Enterprise and USS Doris Miller in the pipeline and under construction. The review is to be completed by the end of May 2026, Phelan said. The Navy announced on Jan. 3, 2025, that it would name the two future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers after the two former presidents. The $1.5 trillion fiscal 2027 defense budget is seeking $65.8 billion for Navy shipbuilding, specifically 18 battle force ships and 16 auxiliary ships meant to fulfill the Golden Fleet initiative Trump announced last December. Phelan left his position as the Navy secretary “effective immediately” on Wednesday, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced in an X post. While the Navy didn’t offer a rationale for his departure, a senior administration official with knowledge of the situation told Military Times that Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth decided it was time to go in another direction, as far as Navy leadership was concerned. Phelan was informed of his firing shortly before Parnell made the news public, the official told Military Times. About Riley Ceder Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation. Share: More In Your Navy Guardsman learns to fly autonomous Black Hawk in less than an hour In a training first, an Army National Guardsman used a tablet to control Sikorsky's optionally piloted Black Hawk and plan its task during an exercise. Recap: Highlights from the US Army’s 2025 conference in Washington The Army continues to transform, with efforts focused on next-gen weaponry, long-range artillery, unmanned systems and much more. Pentagon stages first ‘Top Drone’ school for operators to hone skills Industry and military drone operators flew tethered and untethered first-person drones through a course designed to test endurance and maneuverability. Space Development Agency launches first operational satellites The 21 spacecraft could start providing operational capability to combatant commands and other users within four to six months, according to SDA. Space Development Agency director leaves post for academia The agency’s deputy director, Gurpartap Sandhoo, will lead SDA in an acting capacity.