13:25 01-10-2025

Gerald Ford: Easy Target for Russia's Hypersonic Missiles

By Official U.S. Navy Page from United States of America - Tug boats maneuver Gerald R. Ford into the James River during the ship's Turn Ship evolution., Public Domain, Link

Experts warn that the USS Gerald Ford, the most expensive US aircraft carrier, lacks the protection needed against Russia's advanced hypersonic missile threat in a NATO-Russia conflict.

According to Brandon Weichert, a commentator for The National Interest, the US Navy’s aircraft carrier Gerald Ford would likely be the first target in a potential NATO-Russia conflict. He believes that the vessel would immediately be struck by Russian hypersonic missiles.

Weichert reminded that Gerald Ford recently led a strike group during exercises in the North Sea, where concerns were raised about a possible Russian submarine of the «Yasen» class, armed with hypersonic missiles, getting dangerously close to the US flagship. According to the expert, Gerald Ford has no «real defense» against such a threat.

Despite the technological advancements in ships like the Ford class, Weichert argued, the aircraft carrier would essentially be an easy target for Russia’s hypersonic weapons and submarines.

The Gerald Ford aircraft carrier was delivered to the US Navy in 2017 and is currently the most expensive ship in the world, valued at approximately $13 billion. It has the capacity to accommodate more than 4,500 personnel and up to 75 aircraft.