CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier
Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP)
Program facts
- Program number
- 223
- Short name
- CVN 78
- Acquisition pathway
- Major Capability Acquisition (MCA)
- Acquisition category
- ACAT IC
- Acquisition status
- Active
- Lead component
-
Department of the Navy
Department of Defense
- Contract awards
- 167
- Contract obligations
- $32,833,751,138 Since fiscal year 2004
Program details come from the Department of Defense's acquisition program list. Contract figures come from SAM.gov (formerly FPDS).
Contract obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Obligated |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $2,381,588,090 |
| FY2025 | $2,152,305,223 |
| FY2024 | $1,748,025,158 |
| FY2023 | $2,523,601,070 |
| FY2022 | $1,447,916,677 |
| FY2021 | $1,494,970,506 |
| FY2020 | $2,076,207,512 |
| FY2019 | $1,880,855,355 |
| FY2018 | $1,494,000,026 |
| FY2017 | $1,233,292,362 |
Top contractors by obligations
| Rank | Contractor | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntington Ingalls Inc. | $31,666,733,221 | |
| 2 | General Atomics | $716,972,497 | |
| 3 | General Dynamics Information Technology Inc. | $118,630,353 | |
| 4 | Kato Engineering Inc. | $90,013,089 | |
| 5 | Raytheon Technical Services Co | $87,369,465 | |
| 6 | General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. | $35,660,968 | |
| 7 | General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. | $32,319,694 | |
| 8 | Southeastern Computer Consultants Inc. | $13,531,690 | |
| 9 | Mills Marine & Ship Repair LLC | $12,697,768 | |
| 10 | Phoenix Group Of Virginia Inc. | $11,518,449 |
10 of 129 contractors listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Contract awards
Show 40 more
Latest 50 of 167 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
About this program
The CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier program is a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) under Acquisition Category IC that represents the Navy's next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The program encompasses the design, construction, testing, and deployment of advanced aircraft carrier technologies, including the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) systems. This acquisition program supports the development and production of multiple vessels within the Ford class, including CVN 78, CVN 79, and CVN 80.
Contract awards under this program range from small purchase orders of a few thousand dollars for equipment and supplies to multi-billion dollar shipbuilding contracts. The largest awards are typically made to Huntington Ingalls Inc., including a $16.8 billion contract for CVN 80 engineering and steel work and a $4.4 billion contract for CVN 79 detail design and construction. General Atomics serves as another significant prime contractor, securing multiple awards for EMALS and AAG systems development and maintenance, typically ranging from $1-30 million. Common subcontractors include Foster-Miller/Qinetiq North America, Kato Engineering Inc., and various specialized technology suppliers. The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) are the primary contracting agencies. While many smaller contracts utilize small business set-asides, the major system development and ship construction contracts are unrestricted. Primary performance locations include Newport News, Virginia for shipbuilding and San Diego, California for EMALS/AAG system work.
Quick answers
What is CVN 78?
CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier is a Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) led by the Department of the Navy. It follows the Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) pathway and is ACAT IC. Its acquisition status is active.
How much has CVN 78 obligated on contracts?
167 contract awards are coded to CVN 78, and their actions have obligated $32,833,751,138 since fiscal year 2004.
Who are the top contractors on CVN 78?
The contractors obligated the most on CVN 78 contracts are Huntington Ingalls Inc. ($31,666,733,221), General Atomics ($716,972,497) and General Dynamics Information Technology Inc. ($118,630,353).
How much did CVN 78 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Contracts coded to CVN 78 obligated $2,152,305,223 in fiscal year 2025.
What is the latest contract award for CVN 78?
The latest contract award coded to CVN 78 is N0001925F0251, awarded to General Atomics on October 1, 2025.
On GovTribe
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