Tech Talk

June 2005

Navy’s New Carrier: An Electrifying Ride

Edited by Robert H. Williams

Construction of the Navy’s next-generation aircraft carrier, the CVN-21, could begin as early as this year, even though the ship’s design continues to evolve. Although the carrier is not due to be completed until 2014, the shipyard, Northrop Grumman Newport News, Va., wants to get started as soon as possible, says Mike Shawcross, a company vice president. “We try to minimize cost impact by starting early fabrication,” he says. The project, Shawcross predicts, will spark an employment boom for electrical engineers and technicians with expertise in electrical systems. The ship, although nuclear powered, will feature an unprecedented level of electrification, as the Navy moves away from steam and mechanically driven components.