This is America’s new $13 billion warship https://t.co/43NZDuGChx pic.twitter.com/HKEoHSZR3k

— BI Politics (@bi_politics) November 25, 2015

The Navy is set to add the Ford to the fleet, giving it 11 carriers able to deploy. The Ford has a bunch of new tech, including electromagnetic catapults that allow the ship to not only launch more aircraft, but makes it easier on the airframes and can dial down the launch acceleration to minimize stress on even UAVs - extending capabilities further.

The power generation systems also allow the ship to eventually be fitted with electronic rail guns that allow over the horizon firepower capability (reducing reliance on even cruise missiles that cost more to fire).

It also reduces manpower requirements, which is a huge chunk of the overall cost of operating a carrier.

Of course, all this tech isn’t cheap.

The new carrier costs $13 billion. And some defense experts question building a new carrier class at a time when the Chinese are working on over the horizon carrier killer cruise missiles that include stealth capabilities, while others question the need for the carrier at a time with fewer actual conflicts.