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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Ciaran Daly & Charlie Jones

US deploys world's most expensive warship to Atlantic carrying 9,000 troops

The US Navy have deployed one of the world's most expensive warships ever built, complete with nuclear reactors, fighter jets and a 9,000-troop NATO strike group.

The USS Gerald R Ford sailed from Virginia, USA heading out into the Atlantic Ocean.

The carrier cost the US more than $13billion (£11bn), and is the largest aircraft carrier in the world.

It's powered by two nuclear reactors and can carry more than 70 aircrafts, including deadly helicopters and jets.

The Atlantic deployment is due to carry 9,000 personnel from nine NATO countries, including the US, Canada, Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.

The massive explosion used in the trial triggered a M3.9 quake (US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images)

Vice Admiral Dan Dwyer, Commander of the US 2nd Fleet, said: "The Atlantic is an area of strategic interest. Our primary goal is to contribute to a peaceful, stable, and conflict-free Atlantic region through the combined naval power of our Allies and partners.

"The deployment of USS Gerald R Ford's carrier strike group is the natural progression of our renewed commitment to the Atlantic."

The ship is named after the 38th President of the United States, Gerald Ford, whose World War II naval service included time on a light aircraft carrier in the Pacific Theater.

The carrier is now on active duty (US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images)

The keel of this waterborne behemoth was laid in 2009, which is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. It took until late 2013 to launch the ship.

Each aspect of the huge warship was an undertaking in its own right, for example installing the four 30-ton 6.4 m diameter bronze propellers installed, which required more than 10 months of work.

UK personnel won't be aboard the ship this time. In August this year, the UK's brand new £3bn aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales broke down almost immediately after beginning a voyage to the US.

The ship had enjoyed a send-off by the Sugababes and was supposed to sail to America to do some military exercises with the US and Canadian Navies.

The 65,000-tonne warship instead suffered a mechanical issue and broke down, making it a little less impressive than the US Navy's terrifying new machine.

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