In pictures: On board the world's biggest 'badass' aircraft carrier that has angered Russia

Andy Wells
·Freelance Writer
Updated ·4-min read
Nesodden 20230524.The American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on its way into the Oslofjord, here at Nesoddtangen. The ship is the world's largest warship and will be in port in Oslo for four days. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB
The USS Gerald R Ford is the largest aircraft carrier in the world. (PA)

The US aircraft carrier that has made its looming presence felt to an angered Russia was once described as the “biggest badass” warship in the world.

The USS Gerald R Ford sailed into Norway’s capital Oslo on Wednesday in what was regarded as a show of Nato force as tensions with Russia continue to rise due to the war in Ukraine.

Norway shares a border with Russia and Moscow officials wasted no time in condemning the visit, describing the Nato “demonstrations of power” as “illogical and harmful”.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford passes on its way to the Oslo Fjord, at Drobak, Norway, Wednesday, May 24, 2023. The ship is the world's largest warship and will be in port of Oslo for four days. (Terje Pedersen/NTB Scanpix via AP)
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford passes on its way to the Oslo Fjord, at Drobak, Norway. (PA)
The American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on its way into the Oslo Fjord, at Jeløya, Moss, Norway, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. The ship is the world's largest warship and will be in port in Oslo for four days. (Terje Pedersen/NTB Scanpix via AP)
The USS Gerald R Ford will be in port in Oslo for four days. (PA)

The 100,000-tonne warship was launched in 2013 and can hold 4,500 crew members on board.

The huge flight deck is packed with more than 40 aircraft, including dozens of F-18 jets, as seen in the Top Gun: Maverick movie.

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Former commanding officer, Captain Paul Lanzilotta, said last year: “This ship is badass, I will just put it that way.

The crew of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford stands on the flight deck as the carrier passes on its way into the Oslo Fjord, at Drobak, Norway, Wednesday, May 24, 2023. The ship is the world's largest warship and will be in port of Oslo for four days. (Terje Pedersen/NTB Scanpix via AP)
The crew of the USS Gerald R Ford stands on the flight deck as the carrier passes on its way into the Oslo Fjord, at Drobak, Norway, on Wednesday. (PA)
The American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford drives in the Oslo Fjord, Norway, here seen from Ekebergskrenten, Wednesday, May 24, 2023. The ship is the world's largest warship and will be in port in Oslo for four days. (Javad Parsa/NTB Scanpix via AP)
The USS Gerald R. Ford cost around £11bn to build and launched in 2013. (PA)
North Sea, Denmark 20230522.The world's largest warship, the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, in the North Sea off Denmark on Monday. Photo: Haakon Mosvold Larsen / NTB
The huge flight deck of the USS Gerald R Ford is packed with more than 40 aircraft. (PA)

“It’s a really great system of systems, high technology is everywhere you walk on this ship.”

He added: “We have a little bit of the new-car feel, there is a bit of a buzz about the biggest, baddest warship of the fleet and our sailors feel that.”

Among the technological innovations on the ship are the 11 advanced weapons elevators (AWE) which use electromagnetism to speed up its capability of resupplying the fighter jets.

A crew member walks through the hangar of the U.S. Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while anchored in the Solent near Gosport, Britain, November 17, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
A crew member walks through the hangar of the USS Gerald R. Ford while it was anchored in the Solent near Gosport last year. (Reuters)
Crew members queue up in the hangar as they wait to disembark the U.S. Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while anchored in the Solent near Gosport, Britain, November 17, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Crew members queue up inside the huge hangar on the USS Gerald R. Ford. (Reuters)
A crew member works on the bridge of the U.S. Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while anchored in the Solent near Gosport, Britain, November 17, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
A crew member works on the bridge of the USS Gerald R Ford. (Reuters)

The lifts can carry 24,000 pounds per load at a speed greater than the previous Nimitz-class of US aircraft carriers.

The ship’s plasma arc waste destruction system (PAWDS) has also been designed to boost its environmental credentials, by burning up to 3,000 lb of rubbish at 5,000C, meaning 100 lb of waste can be reduced to 1lb.

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The 333m-long vessel, which cost nearly £11bn to build, will conduct training exercises with the Norwegian armed forces along the country’s coast over the next few days.

"There are no questions in the (Arctic) north that require a military solution, nor topics where outside intervention is needed," the Russian embassy in Oslo said.

Crew members give a demonstration of the Advanced Weapon Elevator onboard the U.S. Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while anchored in the Solent near Gosport, Britain, November 17, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Crew members give a demonstration of the advanced weapon elevator onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford. (Reuters)
A poster is seen on a wall inside the U.S. Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while anchored in the Solent near Gosport, Britain, November 17, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
A poster showing the ‘10 commandments of the flight deck’ is seen on a wall inside the USS Gerald R Ford. (Reuters)
F-18 fighter jets are lined up on the flight deck of the U.S. Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while anchored in the Solent near Gosport, Britain, November 17, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
F-18 fighter jets are lined up on the flight deck of the USS Gerald R Ford. (Reuters)
People stand onboard the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the North Sea off Denmark, May 22, 2023. Hakon Mosvold Larsen/NTB/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY.
One of the many jets takes off from the USS Gerald R Ford. (Reuters)

"Considering that it is admitted in Oslo that Russia poses no direct military threat to Norway, such demonstrations of power appear illogical and harmful."

Norwegian media reported that the aircraft carrier would sail north of the Arctic Circle.

"This visit is an important signal of the close bilateral relationship between the US and Norway and a signal of the credibility of collective defence and deterrence," a spokesperson for the Norwegian Joint Headquarters said.

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