NEWPORT NEWS, the United States, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Navy on Saturday christened the first ship of a new class of aircraft carriers after the 38th U.S. President Gerald R. Ford.

　　A special ceremony was organized to mark the christening occasion at the Huntington-Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipyard in the U.S. state of Virginia Saturday, where Susan Ford Bales, daughter of President Gerald Ford and also the ship's sponsor, officially christened the ship by breaking a champagne bottle against a plate welded to the hull,

　　"It's amazing, it's such a special moment," Bales told Xinhua earlier."I just wish my dad could be here to break the bottle instead of me, or even watch me break the bottle."

　　Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, delivered a principal address at the ceremony, stressing that the aircraft carrier is the representation of American power.

　　"It embodies our military might and more," said Levin.

　　The new aircraft carrier is designated CVN 78, the lead ship of the Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carriers. It is the first with new aircraft carrier designs in more than 40 years and will eventually replace all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. The Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carrier is designed to provide increased warfighting capabilities but cost less with about 700 fewer crews. "It's a fantastic ship," Capt. John Meier, the commanding officer of the newly christened aircraft carrier, told Xinhua. " The technology that's gone into the ship is really state of the art. It's the most technologically advanced ship in the world."

　　The Gerald Ford carrier has a host of new features and designs, such as a new nuclear power plant, electromagnetic aircraft launching system, advanced arresting gear, dual band radar, and all electric auxiliaries. It is designed for a 50-year service life with one mid-life refueling complex overhaul.

　　Rolf Bartschi, vice president for the Gerald R. Ford carrier building at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, told Xinhua that as a new class aircraft carrier, the Gerald Ford carrier has been designed to"bring some pretty significant cost saving to the navy over the life of its operation. So it's designed to operate with fewer sailors, and bring all of its features to bear on its mission."

　　It is estimated to save some 4 billion to 5 billion U.S. dollars in operating cost in its 50-year life span.

　　The Gerald Ford carrier will replace the USS Enterprise, which was inactivated last year. With the new addition, the U.S. Navy maintains a fleet of 11 super carriers.