NORFOLK (May 2, 2023) The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) departs Naval Station Norfolk for a scheduled deployment, May 2, 2023. Gerald R. Ford is the flagship of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. As the first-in-class ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap in the U.S. Navy's capacity to project power on a global scale. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins)