World’s largest aircraft carrier starts major maintenance period and fire damage repairs

The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the US Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), has arrived at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNS) in Portsmouth, Virginia, to begin its first major maintenance period while undergoing repairs to restore spaces damaged during a March 2026 onboard fire.

The Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) marks the first scheduled availability for a Ford-class aircraft carrier at a public shipyard and follows the carrier’s 326-day deployment across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Red Seas.

A PIA is a scheduled period for an aircraft carrier to undergo extensive maintenance, repairs and modernization to meet future operational demands, spanning a wide array of overhauls and inspections. Additionally, a concurrent availability will be conducted to restore spaces damaged during a fire aboard the then-deployed carrier in March 2026, according to the navy.

USS Gerald R. Ford’s availability is part of the US Navy’s effort to adopt a maintenance continuum that integrates operational requirements with shipyard periods through smaller, more frequent availabilities. The approach is designed to complete required maintenance and modernization work while improving carrier availability and ensuring ships return to the fleet on schedule.

Ahead of the carrier’s arrival at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the maintenance continuum enabled shipyard teams to complete advance work at Naval Station Norfolk, including early testing, preparations for temporary service installations, and an overhaul of the jet blast deflector. The process also allows additional work identified during the availability to be addressed after the main maintenance period is completed.

“The team is heavily leveraging the lessons of the new maintenance continuum,” said Project Superintendent George “BJ” Baker.

“Specifically, we are utilizing pre- and post-Window of Opportunity (WOO) periods to manage new work budgets. If late-stage new work poses a risk to our completion date, we have the framework to work those items post-availability. Capitalizing on these WOO periods is the single most important key to returning carriers to their strict [maintenance] timelines.”

To further support timely completion, Baker said the team has been undergoing “rigorous and highly collaborative” preparations, conducting quarterly project planning reviews, undergoing specialized training on the new carrier class at NNS’ Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center, and engaging in peer reviews with the PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) team as the next carrier in class completes construction at NNS.

To drive a pressing timeline while overhauling a new type of carrier, the project team will incorporate NNSY’s Focus and Finish initiative by starting availability jobs and urgently working them to completion to minimize interruptions and delays, it was emphasized.

Gerald R. Ford is the lead ship in the first newly designed aircraft carrier class in more than 40 years, beginning the phased replacement of Nimitz-class carriers. The vessel recently completed a 326-day deployment, conducting operations across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Red Seas.

During the deployment, the carrier also experienced a fire incident in March 2026 while at sea, resulting in damage to several onboard spaces.

USS Gerald R. Ford’s arrival at NNSY follows the early PIA completions for Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in April 2026 and USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in November 2024.

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