the Fords, transformational, revolutionary quantum leaps of Rumself Era are replacing the Nimitzes
Jura there is a open debate that happens with US CVN that it wasn't three classes Enterprise, Nimitz and now Ford but Five
Enterprise class
Nimitz to Carl Vincent as Nimitz class
Theodore Roosevelt to Harry S Truman as Theodore Roosevelt class.
And Ronald Reagan to George Bush as Reagan class.
And then Ford.
The Nimitz major change that made it not Enterprise class was reactors. All the "Nimitz" carriers use the same reactor design.
Ford changed to a new reactor. That's it that's the only reason that Ford is not a Nimitz.
All the other bits don't matter. Because if you look at the history of the designs the same degrees of changes save for reactor happened between Nimitz and Roosevelt or Roosevelt and Reagan. And heck the Bush could be a class by herself.
Actually each one is a one off.
So when you bring up that. "transformational, revolutionary quantum leaps" that's a load of malarkey. They are evolutionary steps. Oh but EMALS... So so are you saying that Catapults were unique to Nimitz? No they came from earlier ships.
But the radar.... radar changes happened across the classes between ships.
But the computers.
Also changed and even retrofit to older ships where possible...
But the elevators... okay fine but that's it?
No they are evolutionary.