The US Navy's first-of-class aircraft carrier Gerald R Ford was launched on 11 October at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding. Under construction since November 2009, Ford will undergo afloat testing before its naming ceremony on 9 November 2013. Pier-side outfitting will then take place. Delivery is expected in 2016. The New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) released on 22 October a request for information (Rfl) for a single, multi-purpose vessel to replace its mine-countermeasures, diving support, and hydro-graphic survey ship classes, to meet the 2010 Defence White Paper's requirement for a Littoral Operations Support Capability. The 150 m vessel, designed to integrate with a range of capabilities, may be built overseas. The MoD is seeking responses by 2 December.
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