US Navy vows to cut cost of building new aircraft carriers

[WASHINGTON] The US Navy on Tuesday pledged to cut costs for building new aircraft carriers, as it prepared to christen the USS Gerald R Ford, first in its class of warships and a vessel whose US$12.9 billion cost will exceed forecasts by almost 25 per cent.

Rear Admiral Thomas Moore, Navy officer in charge of aircraft carriers, pledged that the next carrier, the USS John F Kennedy, will cost US$1.2 billion less than the USS Ford, which will be christened on Saturday.

He said he was working on cost controls with Huntington Ingalls Industries, whose Newport News unit builds the carriers, as well as with other suppliers and the US Congress.