The Evolution of Ammunition Transport Logistics on Aircraft Carriers: From the Nimitz Class to the New-Generation Ford Class

I. Comparison of Technical Architectures: The Transition from Hydraulic/Cable Systems to Electromagnetic Linear Motor Technology

The cover image shows a detailed cross-section of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, CVN-75 (USS Harry S. Truman).

Vertical munitions transfer on aircraft carriers is one of the most critical logistical chains determining the ship’s firepower and operational tempo. The traditional ammunition lifts used on Nimitz-class aircraft carriers (CVN 68–77) are based on an electromechanical architecture that derives its power from hydraulic cylinders, steel cable assemblies, pulleys, sheaves and physical counterweights. Although these legacy systems, supplied by manufacturers such as Jered, have stood out for their reliability over many years, they have reached the limits of modern operations due to the high number of mechanical components they contain and their linear motion constraints.

The mechanical limitations of Nimitz-class hydraulic lifts directly affect their operational speed and load-carrying capacity. These systems have a maximum load-carrying capacity of 10,000 pounds (approximately 4.8 tonnes) and a vertical travel speed of 100 feet (approximately 30.4 metres) per minute. Physical steel cables and pulley assemblies are subjected to additional strain and wear during the ship’s pitch and roll movements at sea, leading to misalignments in the platform. Furthermore, the risks of high-pressure fluid leaks inherent in hydraulic systems, fire hazards and the need for periodic maintenance of pipework increase both maintenance costs and the workload of technical personnel on board.

Introduced alongside the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) class, the Advanced Weapons Elevators (Advanced Weapons Elevators – AWE), introduced alongside the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) class, offer an autonomous ‘ropeless’ vertical transport architecture developed through a partnership between Federal Equipment Company (FEC) and MagneMotion, which completely eliminates cables and hydraulic piping. At the heart of the AWE system lies Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) technology, comprising fixed stator blocks arranged along the vertical shaft walls and permanent magnet (PM) arrays integrated onto the lift car.

The system’s operating principle is based on the alternating current applied to the stator coils generating a magnetic field (travelling wave) that moves along the shaft.2 This travelling magnetic wave interacts with the permanent magnets on the cabin to produce a direct thrust force in the vertical direction. Control of the system is provided by a closed-loop control architecture that optimises motor current and speed at millisecond intervals using real-time data from sensors. Thanks to this electromagnetic design, the AWE achieves a lifting capacity of 24,000 pounds (approximately 11 tonnes), exceeding the Nimitz-class capacity by 140 per cent, whilst increasing its vertical speed to 150 feet per minute (approximately 45.7 metres), thereby reducing vertical transit time by 50 per cent. The comparative technical parameters of the Nimitz-class hydraulic lifts and the Ford-class AWE technology are detailed in the table below:

Technological Comparison of Ammunition Lifts (AWE) on Nimitz and Gerald R. Ford-class Aircraft Carriers

Technical Parameter Nimitz Class (Hydraulic/Cable-driven) Gerald R. Ford Class (AWE – LSM) Operational Change / Advantage

Maximum Load Capacity 10,000 lbs (4,535 kg) 24,000 lbs (10,886 kg) 140 per cent increase in capacity (Suitable for heavy munitions pallets)

Maximum Travel Speed 100 ft/min (30.4 m/min) 150 ft/min (45.7 m/min) 50% increase in speed (Faster vertical transit and resupply)

Drive Mechanism Hydraulic cylinders, steel cable, pulleys Linear Synchronous Motors (LSM – Wireless) Elimination of moving parts subject to mechanical wear

Control Method: Analogue valves and limit switches; Digital Closed-Loop Control and Encoders; Precise speed profile control and vibration-free stopping

Braking Safety: Mechanical overspeed brakes and buffers; Regenerative dynamic braking and solenoid-operated wedge brakes; Automatic mechanical locking in the event of power loss (Fail-safe)

The technical failures encountered during the initial development phase of AWE systems, which significantly delayed the delivery schedule, were due to ‘concurrent development’ errors frequently observed in defence procurement processes. The decision to integrate an unripe technology directly into the hull whilst shipbuilding was still underway—before full-scale prototype testing on land had been completed—was the primary cause of cost overruns and an integration crisis. The technical root causes of these failures can be analysed under the following headings:

-System and Component Density: Within the aircraft carrier’s limited internal volume, a large number of electromagnetic motor drives, wireless data transmission devices, position sensors and armoured blast doors (explosion doors) installed along the AWE shafts had to be crammed into confined spaces. This high physical density has led to increased electromagnetic interference (EMI) and tolerance conflicts during assembly.

-Hull Deflection and Tight Dimensional Tolerances: Under open-sea conditions and during Full-Scale Shock Tests (FSST), the ship’s hull is subjected to structural torsion and deflection. The guide rails in the AWE wells and the watertight armoured doors on each deck have been designed with such tight tolerances that even the micro-level hull deflections experienced by the vessel have caused misalignment in the guide rails, leaks in the door seals and mechanical jamming.

-Software Integration and Multi-Motor Synchronisation: Each AWE compartment is driven by four independent LSM motors positioned at the four corners of the vertical shaft. In the early stages, serious bugs occurred in the software algorithms designed to ensure these motors operated in synchronisation, even when the ammunition load distribution within the compartment was unbalanced. Even the slightest delay in data from the sensors led to the motors producing asymmetrical power, causing the safety software to automatically shut down the system (fault lockout).

II. Operational Doctrine and Efficiency (Sortie Generation Rate – SGR)

In modern aircraft carrier doctrine, a platform’s military effectiveness is measured by the Sortie Generation Rate (SGR), which is the number of combat aircraft it can launch and safely recover per unit of time. One of the key innovations behind the targeted 30 per cent increase in sorties on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers (160 sorties per day during sustained operations and 220 sorties per day during surge operations) is the positioning of the munitions lifts and the revised ‘aircraft layout’ (deck flow) design.

Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are equipped with nine main weapons elevators, which ensure the safe and rapid transport of munitions from the ship’s lower magazine compartments to the flight deck and hangar level.

The architectural layout and distribution of these lifts have been designed in accordance with the principle of ensuring that flight operations are not disrupted (the lifts do not obstruct aircraft movements) and that munitions are delivered to the aircraft in the shortest possible time.

On Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, the weapons elevators are positioned along the centreline of the flight deck and near the take-off and landing runways. However, over time, this layout has meant that when munitions are transported from the storage areas to the flight deck, they must cross flight paths whilst being moved to the areas where aircraft are parked or being prepared; this situation leads to dangerous traffic bottlenecks on the flight deck involving personnel, munitions trolleys and aircraft.

Distribution and Locations of Ammunition Lifts on Nimitz-class Aircraft Carriers

Nine lifts are strategically distributed across the ship’s starboard (right) and port (left) sides to serve the main operational points in the hangar and on the flight deck:

1. Starboard (Right) Side Layout: 6 Lifts

The starboard side is the area with the heaviest munitions traffic due to its proximity to the main weapon loading areas (bomb farms) and aircraft parking positions on the flight deck.

-Bow Section (2 units): Located immediately behind aircraft lifts 1 and 2, near the starboard bow shoulder. They supply munitions to aircraft preparing for take-off from the forward catapults (Catapults 1 and 2).

-Midship Section (3 Units): These are positioned in front of, behind and along the inner sides of the bridge (Island) structure. These lifts open directly onto secure open areas in the centre of the flight deck, known as the ‘Bomb Farm’, where munitions are fitted and undergo final checks.

-Aft Section (1 Unit): Located near aircraft lift No. 3, it serves the parking/loading areas at the rear of the ship.

2. Port (Left) Side Layout: 3 Units

As the port side is generally used as the landing deck (angled deck), the lifts here are positioned in blind spots so as not to disrupt flight traffic.

-Aft Port Side / Stern Area (3 units): Clustered around aircraft lift No. 4 and on the port side stern shoulder. It meets the ammunition requirements of aircraft parked on the port side or directed to the aft catapults (Catapults 3 and 4).

Technical and Operational Distinction

Not all nine of these Nimitz-class lifts serve every level; the system has a staged configuration:

-Lower Stage Lifts: These collect munitions from the lowest decks, where the ammunition magazines are located, and transport them to the hangar level (Main Deck), which serves as the main distribution station.

- Upper-Stage Lifts: These collect munitions from the hangar level or intermediate stations and deliver them directly to the flight deck.

Safety Note: This staged lift shaft design, separated by armoured hatches, is a critical survivability feature developed to prevent flames from reaching the main ammunition stores on lower decks via a chain reaction (cook-off) in the event of a hit or fire.

As shown in the image above, Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)-class aircraft carriers are fitted with a total of 11 munitions lifts. The distribution of the 11 munitions lifts is as follows: (3 Upper Stage [US] lifts, 7 Lower Stage [LS] lifts) + 1 Utility Elevator [UE]

In the Ford class, the vertical munitions flow architecture has been fundamentally redesigned. The AWE system is divided vertically into two main stages:

1. Lower Stage Weapons Elevators (LSWE): These collect the load from the munitions magazines at the very bottom of the ship and transport it to the protected munitions transfer and preparation areas located amidships.
2. Upper Stage (Upper Stage Weapons Elevators – USWE): These transport the prepared munitions directly to the Special Munitions Handling Areas (Weapons Handling Areas – WHA) on the flight deck.

There are a total of 11 munitions elevators on Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) class aircraft carriers. However, these elevators are entirely different from their predecessors in terms of both technology and the ship’s layout.

In the Ford class, hydraulic and cable-driven systems have been replaced by Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE), which utilise linear synchronous motor technology. As a result, the lifts’ load capacity has been increased from 4.7 tonnes to approximately 11 tonnes (24,000 lbs), whilst their vertical speed has been raised to 45 metres per minute (150 fpm).

The most radical change, however, has been made at the points where munitions exit onto the flight deck. The dispersed layout seen on the Nimitz-class carriers has been consolidated on the Ford-class into a central logistics line designed not to disrupt air traffic.

A full top-down aerial view showing the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) transiting the Atlantic Ocean on 19 March 2023. The aircraft lifts are numbered in red, whilst those labelled in light green indicate the ammunition lifts and their locations. Photograph by Jackson Adkins, US Navy.

Architectural Distribution and Locations of Ammunition Lifts

The 11 Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE) are functionally divided into two main groups and operate with vertical integration within the ship:

1. Upper Stage Elevators – 4 units

These lifts transport munitions from the hangar deck (Hangar Deck / Transfer Area) – the main assembly and preparation area – directly to the weapon loading areas on the flight deck.

-Locations: They are situated entirely outside the main aircraft manoeuvring areas (take-off and landing runways) on the flight deck.

-They are clustered in the wide starboard (right) midship deck area—which was created by shifting the bridge (Island) aft compared to the Nimitz class—and at the boundaries of the centralised rearming location.

-This ensures that when munitions are raised to the flight deck, they do not obstruct the path of any aircraft in motion or heading for the catapult.

2. Lower Stage Elevators – 7 Units

These elevators retrieve munitions from the main magazines (Deep Magazines), located deep within the ship beneath the armoured decks, and transport them vertically to the transfer and assembly areas at hangar level.

- Forward Magazine Complex: Provides direct vertical feed from the forward ammunition magazines to the hangar pre-loading area. For example, LSWE 1 serves this line.

- Aft Magazine Complex: Provides a vertical feed from the heavy ammunition magazines at the stern of the ship to the hangar and main transfer lines (for example, LSWE 5 is part of this group).

The Ford Class’s Layout Advantage

In the Nimitz class, as the ammunition lifts are positioned on the port and starboard sides of the flight deck, the taxiways on the deck intersect whilst ammunition is being transferred to the aircraft, leading to significant traffic congestion.

In the Ford class, however:

- The bridge (Island) has been designed to be smaller and has been shifted towards the stern (rear) of the ship.

- Thanks to this architectural change, a vast and uninterrupted ‘Central Reloading Area’ has been created in front of the bridge.

-As the upper-level AWE lifts transport munitions directly to the heart of this secure area, aircraft do not encounter munitions transport vehicles (ordnance carts) whilst heading to the catapults or parking areas.

This layout optimisation and electromagnetic speed have increased the daily aircraft take-off and landing (Sortie Generation Rate) capacity of Ford-class aircraft carriers by 30 per cent compared to the Nimitz class.

In the photograph above, advanced weapons lifts are transporting munitions from the lower decks of the Ford to the flight deck, where they can be loaded onto fighter aircraft, on 25 November 2019. The ship’s 11 weapons lifts utilise electromagnetic technology and can transport up to 24,000 pounds of munitions at a speed of 150 feet per minute.

Thanks to this two-stage transfer system and the fact that the [Weapons Handling Areas (WHA)] are isolated from the flight deck and positioned behind the starboard island, the vertical ammunition flow does not interfere with aircraft take-off and landing routes. Ammunition emerging from the ammunition lift is mounted onto the aircraft at a distance of just a few metres, which reduces the movement of personnel and vehicles on the flight deck, thereby minimising the margin for operational error.

The primary driver behind the increase in the Sortie Generation Rate (SGR) is the cyber-physical synergy achieved between the high ammunition feed rate provided by the AWE and the ship’s other two main combat technologies: EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System) and AAG (Advanced Arresting Gear). EMALS is capable of performing successive electromagnetic launches without the need for a steam build-up period and can precisely control the instantaneous loads exerted on the aircraft fuselage. The AAG, on the other hand, utilises digitally controlled water turbines and electric motors—unlike traditional hydraulic systems—to safely arrest a wide range of platforms, from light UAVs to the heaviest fighter aircraft.

AWE is the only logistical supply vehicle capable of keeping pace with the high cycle rate generated by these two systems; this is because any interruption or slowdown in the lifts would result in aircraft on the flight deck running out of munitions, leading to the ship being ‘taken out of action’ (mission-kill). However, the process of quantitatively verifying the ultimate success of these integrated systems in terms of Sortie Generation Rate (SGR) has not yet been completed.

The US Navy and the Department of Defence’s Directorate of Testing and Evaluation (DOT&E) are experiencing delays in the Verification and Validation (V&V) processes for the Sea Strike/Sea Basing Aviation Model (SSAM) software—developed to measure SGR Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)—due to integration challenges within high-performance computing networks. Multi-day live sustained and surge SGR tests, planned to be conducted under real-sea conditions, including emergency situations and adverse weather, have been postponed to the 2026 financial year due to unscheduled maintenance of equipment and the ship’s busy operational schedule.

Aviation ordnance specialists attached to the weapons department of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) are transporting inert bombs onto the flight deck for training purposes during flight operations on 30 May 2020. (Photo: RJ Stratchko/US Navy)

III. Life Cycle and Logistics Analysis

The hydraulic systems installed on Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are among those that generate the highest logistical burden and unplanned maintenance costs over the ship’s 50-year service life. Hydraulic oils operating under high pressure, corrosion in pipelines exposed to seawater and mechanical valve wear necessitate the permanent employment of specialist hydraulic technicians on board. Furthermore, steel cables must be lubricated periodically, subjected to tension tests and completely replaced every few years.

The Ford-class AWE system, however, has revolutionised the approach to maintenance by eliminating cables, hydraulic fluids and complex pulley mechanisms. Thanks to the electromagnetic drive principle, the absence of direct frictional contact between the platform and the rails virtually eliminates mechanical wear. The AWE system possesses Predictive Maintenance capabilities, utilising its integrated sensors to monitor current fluctuations, motor temperatures and magnetic flux density with millisecond precision, and to transmit this data to the ship’s main data networks. (Predictive maintenance).

Thanks to Health Monitoring, Assessment and Prognostics technology, a fault that may occur in a motor winding or sensor circuit can be detected days before the system comes to a complete standstill, allowing it to be rectified quickly using modular ‘plug-and-play’ spare parts. Furthermore, as the AWE pod decelerates, the motors switch to generator mode to provide regenerative braking; this minimises wear on the mechanical wedge brakes, thereby reducing the consumption of consumables.

From a logistical perspective, the high level of automation provided by the AWE, EMALS and autonomous material handling systems has reduced the ship’s crew requirements by 15 per cent compared to the Nimitz class (500 to 700 sailors across the ship). This reduction in personnel yields savings of billions of dollars in food, training and personnel costs over the ship’s entire life cycle.

However, the initial procurement and integration costs of these advanced technologies on the lead ship (CVN 78, the first ship of the class) have exceeded the projected budgets. According to GAO reports, technical revisions resulting from the simultaneous development of critical technologies have caused the ship’s total cost to rise by approximately $2.8 billion to $13.3 billion. In 2019 alone, the budget ceiling was increased by $197 million to address deficiencies in the ammunition lifts.

Furthermore, these teething problems with technological maturity on the first ship, along with delays in the installation of the lifts, have directly pushed back the delivery schedule for subsequent ships. To allow for the necessary revisions, the delivery of the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) has been postponed to 2027, the construction of the USS Enterprise (CVN 80) to 2030, and the delivery of the Doris Miller (CVN 81) to 2032. However, the engineering experience gained from the first hull and the resolution of teething problems will radically reduce the integration costs per unit and the operational burden for subsequent hulls.

IV. Cyber-Physical Security and Resilience

Traditional hydraulic lifts possess a natural protective barrier (air-gap) against cyber-attacks, as they are controlled via analogue relay systems and mechanical hydraulic valves that are not connected to cyber networks. In contrast, Advanced Weaponry Elevators (AWE) are fully integrated cyber-physical systems in which physical processes are controlled via software and digital communication networks. The control backbone of the AWE comprises Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), motor drivers, wireless communication modules that transfer data between the lift car and the shaft walls, and control computers connected to the ship’s Integrated Floating Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) infrastructure.

This complex digital architecture of the AWE presents a potential vulnerability within the Cybersecurity Architecture. In combat environments or during infiltration operations, the cyber-attack scenarios and points of vulnerability targeting lift control systems are analysed as follows:

- Denial of Service (DoS) and Network Congestion: Malicious software infiltrating the control network could create network congestion with the aim of disrupting the high-speed data flow between sensors and PLCs. A delay of a few milliseconds in status messages from wireless position encoders could cause the AWE control computer to detect an ‘error’ and, for safety reasons, lock the system (freeze) the lift, causing it to move to the nearest safe floor or halt its movement entirely.

-Unauthorised Access and Configuration Manipulation: As highlighted in the GAO-19-128 audit reports, weak password management or unencrypted internal communication channels in military weapon systems can facilitate cyber attackers’ access to controllers. An actor infiltrating the AWE system’s maintenance interfaces could alter the motors’ acceleration parameters, causing the lift to move beyond its mechanical limits or leaving the airtight doors open.

-Lateral Movement: Connecting lift control systems—even temporarily—to external terminal networks or the CANES network via open ports for maintenance or fault diagnosis purposes may allow attackers to use these systems as a stepping stone to infiltrate the ship’s other critical combat management networks.

To provide protection against these threats, multi-layered defence measures designed in accordance with the IEC 62443-4-2 cybersecurity standards are implemented in the AWE control networks. All firmware and software updates used in the system are cryptographically signed; the execution of unauthorised code on PLC hardware is prevented; and strict physical network segmentation is enforced between the control networks and the remainder of the CANES network.

High-intensity Electronic Warfare (EW) environments and the Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) threats that could be caused by nuclear explosions, the protection of the AWE’s electromagnetic motor windings and wireless control mechanisms is of vital importance. AWE motor and drive units are housed within cast nodular iron enclosures, which are isolated using Faraday cage principles to prevent high-energy radio-frequency interference and are certified in accordance with the MIL-S-901D (Heavy-Duty Shock Resistance) and MIL-STD-167 (Vibration Resistance) standards. The stator windings are insulated using the vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI) method, thereby shielding them against high electrical currents.

Advanced hardware and analogue redundancy protocols are in place to maintain the operational continuity of the systems in the event of combat or a software lock-up:

-Fail-Safe Mechanical Wedge Brakes: Even if the electromagnetic power supplying vertical movement along the lift shaft is completely cut off, the car cannot go into free fall. The mechanical wedge brakes used in the system are held in the engaged position by springs as standard. The brakes remain engaged only whilst the solenoid coils are electrically energised. The moment the power is cut, the solenoids release the springs and the brakes physically lock onto the guide rails.

-Manual/Analogue Override Protocols: In scenarios where digital control computers or cyber -physical networks have completely failed or are under cyber-attack, personnel can bypass digital interfaces entirely and intervene directly with the motors via analogue electrical controls on local control panels. This manual control mode ensures the lift can be moved vertically within a lower speed safety limit and that the flow of cargo continues uninterrupted.

-Post-Damage Recovery Verification: As part of the Total Ship Survivability Trial (TSST) conducted on the USS Gerald R. Ford in January 2025, four different weapon hits on the ship were simulated, and it was operationally observed that mechanical/analogue redundancy protocols could keep the system operational even under such damage.

V. Results and a Paradigm Shift in Future Aircraft Carrier Designs

The transition from the Nimitz class to the Gerald R. Ford class, and within this context the evolution of munitions lifts from hydraulic cable systems to electromagnetic linear motors, represents a radical paradigm shift in naval warfare platform design. The steam- and hydraulic-based power transmission systems found in traditional ship designs have given way to the ‘all-electric ship’ concept, in which electrical energy is directly converted into kinetic force.

The integration of cyber-physical technologies such as AWE, EMALS and AAG, which draw high peak currents, is directly linked to the high electrical power capacity provided by the A1B nuclear reactor. This architectural transformation eliminates the need for disruptive ‘rip-out’ modifications to the ship’s overall hull structure required for laser weapons, electromagnetic defence shields and advanced active radar systems planned for future integration onto aircraft carriers; as the Ford-class, thanks to its modular power and flexible infrastructure design, possesses a wide margin for integration, ready for future cyber and physical system upgrades.

This technological leap forward provides the aircraft carrier strike group with vital strategic advantages when transitioning from low-intensity regional crises to high-intensity peer-to-peer (between states of equal strength) warfare scenarios:

- Low-Intensity Conflict Conditions: In peacekeeping or anti-piracy operations against asymmetric threats, a 15 per cent reduction in the ship’s crew complement supports the ability to maintain a long-term presence and deterrence whilst keeping operational costs to a minimum. Thanks to its predictive maintenance capabilities, the ship’s reliance on external shipyard support is minimised.

-High-Intensity Combat Scenarios: In engagements against an adversary possessing advanced A2/AD (Anti-Access/Area Denial) defence systems, the ship’s salvo size and aircraft launch rate are primary survivability parameters. The 150 feet per minute vertical speed and 24,000 pound payload capacity offered by AWE enable F-35C and F/A-18E/F fleets to be continuously armed with heavy guided munitions and anti-ship missiles, paving the way for the execution of saturation attacks against enemy defence lines.

This flexibility, provided by Linear Synchronous Motor technology, is not limited to aircraft carriers; in the future, it will also be utilised in autonomous vertical -horizontal integrated munitions transfer systems (such as the 6,000-pound-capacity HRVHMM system with horizontal and vertical movement capabilities, prototyped by FEC for the Office of Naval Research) on amphibious assault and logistics support ships, thereby ushering in an era of autonomy in naval logistics.

VI. AWE Deployment and Development Timeline

The process from the conceptual design of the Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE) system to achieving full operational capability and its transfer to next-generation ships reflects the dynamics of military engineering and problem-solving:

Date / Period Development / Milestone Operational Status and Resolution Process

October 2005 Selection of Supplier and Design Northrop Grumman selected the Federal Equipment Company (FEC) and MagneMotion consortium as the prime contractor for the AWE design under the CVN 21 (Ford-class) programme.

August 2007 Design Risk Warning In the GAO-07-866 report, it was formally reported to Congress that the concurrent development of critical technologies—which had not yet been fully matured on land—with ship construction would lead to budget and schedule overruns.

June 2017: Delivery with Incomplete Systems – The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) was delivered; however, as none of the 11 ammunition lifts had been certified, it joined the fleet without ammunition transfer capability.

September 2019: Budget Increase and Focus The Navy increased the budget ceiling by $197 million to address structural tolerance errors in the lifts, door seal issues and software integration gaps.

October 2019: End of PSA and Initial Achievements. By the end of the Post-Shakedown Availability (PSA) period, only four of the 11 lifts—the upper-stage lifts (USWE 1, 2, 3 and the [UE] auxiliary lift)—had achieved certification.

April 2020 First Lower-Stage Milestone The team led by Rear Admiral James P. Downey commissioned the first lower-stage lift (LSWE 5), which facilitates vertical transfer from the deep ammunition magazines.

July 2020 Tandem Integration in Forward and Aft Ammunition Magazines With the certification of LSWE 1, simultaneous munitions flow from both the ship’s forward and aft munitions magazines and complexes to the deck was achieved.

August 2021: Strength Under Shock Tests During Full Ship Shock Tests (FSST), the durability of the AWE’s electromagnetic motors and brakes was demonstrated despite underwater munitions being detonated in the vicinity of the ship.

December 2021: Delivery and Completion of the 11th Lift As part of the Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) process, the final AWE unit was completed and the entire system (11 lifts) was handed over to the ship’s crew.

February 2022: Upon completion of the modernisation and CANES PIA, the lift control software was integrated into the modernised CANES corporate computer network, and cyber security updates were implemented.

June 2022: With the EMALS and AAG systems reaching 10,000 successful flight cycles, the ammunition supply chain from the AWE to the flight line has been fully established.

May 2023: First Tactical Combat Deployment – The USS Gerald R. Ford embarked on its first official operational deployment with all weapon lifts, launch and recovery systems at full operational capability.

January 2025 Damage and Survivability Validation: As part of the TSST (Total Ship Survivability Trial), the emergency analogue/backup braking and control systems for the lifts were validated under simulated combat damage conditions.

January 2026: Transfer of Modifications to CVN 79 The USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) has commenced its first sea trials with revised software and mechanical tolerance adjustments, based on lessons learnt from CVN 78.

Our Naval Aviation series will continue.

Reading the first six articles that form the foundation of our Naval Aviation series will enable you to understand the technical details and doctrinal background in this article much more clearly. I have provided the link below so that you may access the relevant publications.

Take-off and Landing Configurations on Naval Aviation Platforms: CATOBAR, STOBAR and STOVL

https://strasam.org/savunma/deniz-silah-ve-sistemleri/deniz-havaciligi-platformlarinda-inis-kalkis-konfigurasyonlari-catobar-stobar-ve-stovl-4160

The Evolution of US Navy Jets from an Engine Architecture Perspective

https://strasam.org/savunma/deniz-silah-ve-sistemleri/motor-mimarisi-perspektifinden-abd-donanma-jetlerinin-evrimi -4166

Structural and Technical Evolution of US Navy Aircraft Carrier-Based Aircraft: 1945–1965

https://strasam.org/savunma/deniz-silah-ve-sistemleri/abd-donanmasi-ucak-gemisi-ucaklarinda-yapisal-ve-teknik-evrim-19451965-4168

Structural and Technical Evolution of US Navy Aircraft Carrier Aircraft: 1965–2025 https://strasam.org/savunma/deniz-silah-ve-sistemleri/abd-donanmasi-ucak-gemisi-ucaklarinda-yapisal-ve-teknik-evrim -19652025-4172

Confined-Space Logistics in Naval Aviation and Maintenance Engineering on Aircraft Carriers: The Process of Returning to Operational Service from the F-4 to the F-35

https://strasam.org/savunma/deniz-silah-ve-sistemleri/deniz-havaciliginda-dar-alan-lojistigi-ve-ucak-gemilerinde-bakim-muhendisligi-f-4ten-f-35e-harekata-geri-donus-sureci-4173

Vertical Logistics of Floating Fortresses: The Elevator Systems of Nimitz and Ford-class Aircraft Carriers

https://strasam.org/savunma/deniz-silah-ve-sistemleri/yuzen-kalelerin-dikey-lojistigi-nimitz-ve-ford-sinifi-ucak-gemilerinin-asansor-sistemleri-4178

References

1. 1 of the 11 advanced weapon elevators on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) [4000x3000], https://www.reddit.com/r/WarshipPorn/comments/y1b9rw/1_of_the_11_advanced_weapon_elevators_of_uss/
2. Linear Synchronous Motor Elevators Become a Reality, https://elevatorworld.com/article/linear-synchronous-motor-elevators-become-a-reality/
3. Marine Elevators and Lifts - Jered, LLC, https://www.jered.com/products/marine-elevators-lifts/
4. USS Gerald R. Ford: Inside the Most Advanced Aircraft Carrier Ever Built | Military Machine, https://militarymachine.com/uss-gerald-ford-aircraft-carrier
5. Why do Ford-class weapons elevators use linear motors? - Reddit, https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalEngineering/comments/1adldl8/why_do_fordclass_weapons_elevators_use_linear/
6. Advanced Weapons Elevators completed aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) - NAVSEA, https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article-View/Article/2883053/advanced-weapons-elevators-completed-aboard-uss-gerald -r-ford-cvn-78/
7. Advanced Weapons Elevators Completed Aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) - Navy.mil, https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/2883211/advanced-weapons-elevators-completed-aboard-uss-gerald-r-ford-cvn-78/
8. WEAPONS AND MATERIAL HANDLING - FMD, https://www.fairbanksmorsedefense.com/solutions/hoists-handling-systems/weapons-material-handling/
9. Fairbanks Morse Defence Archives - Marunda Private Limited, https://marunda.sg/product-category/fairbanks-morse-defense/
10. Northrop Grumman Selects Designer For CVN 21 Advanced Weapons Elevator, https://spacedaily.com/northrop-grumman-selects-designer-for-cvn-21-advanced-weapons-elevator/
11. Linear synchronous motors for lifts - ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291469954_Linear_synchronous_motors_for_elevators
12. GAO-13-396, Ford-class aircraft carriers: Lead ship testing and reliability shortfalls will limit initial fleet capabilities, https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-13-396.pdf
13. Fifth Advanced Weapons Elevator certified aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) - NAVSEA, https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article-View/Article/2161277/fifth-advanced-weapons-elevator-certified-aboard-uss-gerald-r-ford-cvn-78/
14. The US Navy’s Nuclear Ford-Class Almost ‘Broke’ the Aircraft Carrier for Good, https://www.19fortyfive.com/2026/05/the-u-s-navys-nuclear-ford-class-almost-broke-the-aircraft-carrier-for-good/
15. CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier – Director ..., https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2024/navy/2024cvn78.pdf?ver=1HIFsfmEEV4I2B6i9LMjxw%3D%3D
16. EMALS and AAG Perform Successfully during CVN 78 Full-Ship Shock Trials, https://www.ga.com/emals-and-aag-successful-performance-during-cvn-78-full-ship-shock-trials
17. USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) completes inaugural Planned Incremental Availability, prepares for workups and first deployment - NAVSEA, https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/2949696/uss-gerald-r-ford-cvn-78-completes-inaugural-planned-incremental-availability-p/
18. CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier – Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2020/navy/2020cvn78.pdf?ver=RmIv0PBEZ-jMiY9MfYoxrg%3D%3D
19. CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear aircraft carrier – Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2019/navy/2019cvn78.pdf?ver=2020 -01-30-115502-643
20. Ford’s Advanced Weapons Elevators Closer to Certification > United States Navy > display-pressreleases, https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/2236782/fords-advanced-weapons-elevators-closer-to-certification/
21. Sixth Advanced Weapons Elevator certified aboard USS Gerald R. Ford - NAVSEA, https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article-View/Article/2284952/sixth-advanced-weapons-elevator-certified-aboard-uss-gerald-r-ford/
22. 100,000-tonne new Navy Ford-class supercarrier USS John F. Kennedy has just left port for sea trials - 19FortyFive, https://www.19fortyfive.com/2026/01/100000-ton-new-navy-ford-class-supercarrier-uss-john-f-kennedy-just-left-port-for-sea-trials/
23. Everyone Is Trashing the USS Gerald R. Ford — It Replaced Every Major System on a Nimitz-class Carrier and Most of Them Are Working - 19FortyFive, https://www.19fortyfive.com/2026/03/everyone-is-trashing-the-uss-gerald-r-ford-it-replaced-every-major-system-on-a-nimitz-carrier-and-most-of-them-are-working/
24. DOT&E FY2025 Annual Report – Navy – CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford-class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier – Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, https://www.dote. osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2025/navy/2025cvn78.pdf?ver=0eJ608EMZGeBtqrgvKOxoA%3D%3D
25. Advanced Weapons Elevators Completed on CVN 78 - NNS TO GO, https://www.nnstogo.com/articles/advanced-weapons-elevators-completed-cvn-78/
26. The Navy’s $13 billion supercarrier still lacks operational weapons elevators and aircraft launch systems – Task & Purpose, https://taskandpurpose.com/news/uss-gerald-r-ford-aircraft-carrier-gao-rep/
27. USS Gerald R. Ford – Almost a Carrier or Still a Berthing Barge? - Old Salt Blog, https://oldsaltblog.com/uss-gerald-r-ford-almost-a-carrier-or-still-a-berthing-barge/
28. DOT&E FY2025 Annual Report - Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2025/Other/2025Annual-Report.pdf
29. Lifts and Cybersecurity - Elevator World, https://elevatorworld.com/article/lifts-and-cybersecurity/
30. Weapon Systems Cybersecurity: DOD Just Beginning to Grapple with Scale of Vulnerabilities - Government Accountability Office (GAO), https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-19-128
31. GAO-07-866, Defence Acquisitions: Navy Faces Challenges Constructing the Aircraft Carrier Gerald R. Ford within Budget, https://www.gao.gov/assets/a265650.html
32. IBCS at the Crossroads: From Flight Tests to the Fight That Matters | Defense.info, https://defense.info/re-shaping-defense-security/2026/05/ibcs-at-the-crossroads-from-flight-tests-to-the-fight-that-matters/
33. GAO-07-866 Defence Acquisitions: Navy Faces Challenges Constructing the Aircraft Carrier Gerald R. Ford within Budget, https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-07-866.pdf
34. Naval Sea Systems Command > Media > News - Tag USS Gerald R. Ford, https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Tag/90954/uss-gerald-r-ford/
35. UNCLASSIFIED CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier (CVN 78) - Executive Services Directorate, https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/FOID/Reading%20Room/Selected_Acquisition_Reports/FY_2019_SARS/20-F-0568_DOC_24_CVN_78_SAR_Dec_2019_Full.pdf
36. EMALS and AAG reach 10,000 aircraft launches and recoveries - NAVAIR, https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/EMALS-and-AAG-reach-10000-aircraft-launches-and-recoveries/Tue-07052022-1019
37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9u2q_o81jE
38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JalZx6kCUMI
39. https://www.dailypress.com/2022/08/26/the-workers-who-struggled-to-build-a-new-class-of-aircraft-carriers-new-book-gives-them-their-due/
40. https://www.navytimes.com/naval/2021/12/23/us-navy-completes-final-weapons-elevator-on-aircraft-carrier-gerald-r-ford/
41. https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/design-preparations-continue-for-the-usas-new-cvn21-supercarrier-3-0240309/
42. https://www.fairbanksmorsedefense.com/solutions/hoists-handling-systems/weapons-material-handling/
43. https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article/2949696/uss-gerald-r-ford-cvn-78-completes-inaugural-planned-incremental-availability-p/