U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work has ruled that the U.S. Navy is required to conduct shock tests on its latest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford before deploying the ship.
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By U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Aidan P. Campbell [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Navy leaders had wanted to postpone the tests until as late as 2025, arguing that doing so before deployment would delay the return to an 11-carrier fleet, the number mandated by Congress.