Gerald R. Ford class
Fuel enrichment
~93% U-235
HEU
Gerald R. Ford class is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier operated by United States Navy, powered by 2 A1B of about 700 MWt each. Operating.
Two reactors of about 700 MWt each, comparable in thermal output to a small commercial power station, on a ship. Nuclear propulsion gives a carrier effectively unlimited range and frees the volume that fuel oil would occupy for aviation fuel and ordnance.
Propulsion
| Reactor | A1B |
|---|---|
| Reactors per vessel | 2 |
| Thermal output | 700MWt each |
| Fuel enrichment | ~93% U-235HEU |
| Refuelling | One mid-life refuelling across a 50-year service life |
Vessel
| Category | aircraft carrier |
|---|---|
| Role | CVN |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Country | United States |
| Vessels in class | not stated |
| In service from | 2017 |
| Status | Operating |
Other aircraft carriers
| Class | Enrichment | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Charles de Gaulle | LEU | Operating |
| Nimitz class | HEU | Operating |
Sources
- World Nuclear Association, Nuclear-Powered Ships · retrieved 2026-09-07