US carrier construction costs increased dramatically from 1955 to 2017, with the original Nimitz-class at 80,000 tons costing approximately 1 billion dollars in 1975 (equivalent to 5-6 billion in 2023 dollars), while the Gerald R. Ford at 100,000 tons cost just over 13 billion—a 25% increase in displacement but more than doubling in price, driven by increased displacements, new technology integration, and inflation.