The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) steams in the Atlantic Ocean, sailors conducts flight operations on the flight deck of the ship, is the lead ship of her class of United States Navy aircraft carriers. The nuclear-powered USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) is the world’s biggest aircraft carrier, the largest warship ever built in terms of displacement and one of the biggest ships in the world. It is certainly the most expensive US ship.

Beautiful man. My thanks to every sailor out there. Would like to have experienced a cat n trap but to late now.

The Navy’s X-47B combat UAV demonstrator successfully paired with an an Omega Air KC-707 airtanker earlier this week. This marks the first time in aviation history for a UAV to demonstrate aerial refueling capabilities. Unfortunately, these tests also likely mark the end of the X-47B program. Despite only completing 20 percent of its potential flight hours, both of the Navy’s X-47Bs are destined for museums. Still, the technologies that they’ve demonstrated — including those historic autonomous carrier landings in 2013 — will make their way into future unmanned combat aerial vehicles as part of the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program.

The X-47B has a combat radius of 2,778 km (1,500 nautical miles) with a full payload of 2,041 kg (4,500 pounds) in a large internal weapons bay. It has 2 hours loitering capability of 1,852 km (1,000 nautical miles) away from the operating base. It can perform missions such as suppression of enemy air defenses, deep strike, electronic attack and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) on top of engaging enemy fighters. It can also be air refuelled for extended range.