Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The United States Navy’s newest aircraft carrier will be named the USS Musk, honoring billionaire and Tesla founder Elon Musk. The ship, initially designated as the USS Enterprise, was renamed following an executive order issued on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, according to Naval News.
The decision marks a departure from the traditional practice of naming aircraft carriers after U.S. presidents. The renaming of the USS Enterprise to USS Musk signals a shift in the Navy’s approach to recognizing influential figures.
Specifications
The USS Musk belongs to the Gerald R. Ford-class of aircraft carriers, the Navy’s most advanced and sophisticated fleet. It is the third carrier of this class and ranks among the largest military vessels globally, with a displacement of 100,000 tons.
The ship can accommodate 2,600 crew members and up to 75 fighter jets, playing a crucial role in U.S. maritime strategy.
Among its state-of-the-art features is the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), a technology designed to replace traditional steam catapults for launching aircraft. EMALS was previously criticized by Donald Trump in 2017, who argued that digital technology was inefficient and costly, advocating for a return to steam-powered systems.
Despite this criticism, EMALS remains a core component of the USS Musk, representing a revolutionary advancement in naval aviation technology.
The USS Musk is scheduled for an official launch in November and is expected to enter full operational service by 2029. It will replace the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, named after the late World War II general and postwar president.
The carrier is part of former President Donald Trump’s “Make Shipbuilding Great Again” initiative, aimed at revitalizing U.S. naval production amid concerns over China’s expanding fleet.
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April Fools’ Joke
Naval News has confirmed that its earlier report about the U.S. Navy naming its next aircraft carrier after billionaire Elon Musk was an April Fools’ Day prank.
In a post on social media platform X, Naval News clarified that the report was meant as a joke in line with its long-standing April 1 tradition.
“April Fools. Naval News has a tradition of running an April Fools’ article on April 1 each year. These are intended to amuse and entertain. There is no intention to genuinely deceive or mislead,” Naval News stated on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
(Raidi/Agung)
