The Navy awarded General Atomics a $69.8 million pre-production planning contract for the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) and advanced arresting gear (AAG) system for the Ford-class aircraft carrier Doris Miller (CVN-81), the service announced Dec. 28.
House appropriators encouraged the Navy to prioritize approval of an acquisition strategy for the Miller’s EMALS and AAG in the report accompanying the House Appropriations Committee’s FY-22 spending bill.
Congress authorized a dual-hull buy for the Miller and Ford-class aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN-80) with the goal of saving money by procuring equipment and shipsets earlier.
“However, the three-year delay in approving an acquisition strategy and contracting for these main mission components of the carrier is causing a disruption to the production and manufacturing processes of these essential components, impacting the construction and increasing the cost growth of CVN-81,” the committee stated in its July report.
Nearly all of the work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed in December 2023, according to the Navy’s contract announcement.
“Specifically, this contract provides for the evaluation, production, manufacture, assembly, integration and test of engineering changes to product hardware, software, technical data, and logistics products throughout the configuration management process associated with the EMALS and AAG system for the CVN-81 aircraft carrier, minus the energy storage subsystem,” the Navy said.
Navy spokesman Capt. Clay Doss told Inside Defense in July that the Navy was planning on a full production contract award for the Miller’s EMALS and AAG in FY-23.