The U.S. Navy’s new supercarrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), was floated in the drydock last month. She will be christened this Saturday, November 9th at the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. In addition to other superlatives, she is the most costly aircraft carrier ever built. When the ship finally goes into service in 2016, she is expected to have cost $12.9 billion dollars. The ship is roughly 24% over budget. Rear Admiral Thomas Moore, the officer in charge of aircraft carriers, promised recently that the next carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy, would cost $1.2 billion less.

US Navy pledges cost cuts as it christens new aircraft carrier

The Navy recently floated the new destroyer, USS Zumwalt, which is estimated to have cost $7 billion, making it the most destroyer in history, was well. The Zumwalt was scheduled to be christened on October 19th but the christening was canceled due to the recent government shutdown. It is expected to be rescheduled in the spring.