USS John F. Kennedy Departs for Acceptance Sea Trials
The U.S. Navy's second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), departed Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia on August 12, 2026, to begin acceptance sea trials. These trials are the final major evaluation before delivery, projected for March 2027. All seven weapons elevators have been installed, resolving a prior delay. The carrier measures 1,092 feet, displaces 100,000 tons, and can support up to 90 aircraft, including F-35s.
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HII Completes Successful Acceptance Sea Trials of John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)
HII's Newport News Shipbuilding division has successfully completed acceptance sea trials for the John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The ship returned to NNS after further testing and evaluation of key systems at sea, following earlier successful builder's sea trials. The trials involved NNS shipbuilders, John F. Kennedy sailors, and Navy personnel. Derek Murphy, NNS vice president of new construction aircraft carrier programs, praised the shipbuilders' work. The next step is preliminary acceptance, allowing the Navy to begin underway test and evaluation of the carrier's unique systems.
HII Completes Successful Acceptance Sea Trials of John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)
HII's Newport News Shipbuilding division has successfully completed acceptance sea trials for the John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The carrier returned to the shipyard after further testing and evaluation of critical ship systems and components at sea. Earlier in 2026, the vessel had undergone successful builder's sea trials. The trials involved collaboration between NNS shipbuilders, John F. Kennedy sailors, and Navy personnel to test ship operations. Derek Murphy, NNS vice president of new construction aircraft carrier programs, praised the shipbuilders' quality work and commitment. With acceptance trials complete, the next step is preliminary acceptance, allowing the U.S. Navy to begin underway test and evaluation of the carrier's unique systems. CVN 79 continues the legacy of highly capable nuclear-powered aircraft carrier platforms.
Future USS John F. Kennedy Aircraft Carrier Begins Acceptance Trials
The future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), a Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, departed Newport News, Virginia, on August 12 to commence acceptance trials. These trials are a critical final stage of construction, during which the U.S. Navy will test the ship's systems and performance at sea before formal delivery. The vessel is named after the 35th President of the United States and is being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding division. The successful completion of these trials will pave the way for the carrier's commissioning into the U.S. Navy fleet, marking a significant milestone in naval shipbuilding and U.S. maritime capabilities.
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USS John F. Kennedy Departs for Acceptance Sea Trials
The USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the US Navy's second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, departed Newport News Shipbuilding on 12 August 2026 to begin acceptance sea trials. These trials are the final major evaluation phase before the vessel's handover, currently projected for March 2027. The shipyard, HII's Newport News Shipbuilding, stated the trials will involve comprehensive testing of the carrier's systems and components at sea. Construction began in February 2011, with the keel laid in August 2015, and the vessel was christened and launched in October 2019. The carrier measures 1,092 feet, displaces approximately 100,000 tons, and can support up to 90 aircraft, including F-35s and F/A-18s. The Ford-class incorporates 23 new or upgraded systems compared to the Nimitz-class, requiring 500-900 fewer crew members. The USS John F. Kennedy follows the lead ship USS Gerald R. Ford, delivered in May 2017.
USS John F. Kennedy departs for acceptance sea trials
The USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the US Navy's second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, departed Newport News Shipbuilding on 12 August 2026 to begin acceptance sea trials. These trials are the final major evaluation phase before the vessel's handover, currently projected for March 2027. The shipyard completed builder's trials in February 2026. Construction began in February 2011, with keel laying in August 2015 and christening in October 2019. The carrier measures 1,092 feet, displaces about 100,000 tons, and can support up to 90 aircraft including F-35s and F/A-18s. The Gerald R. Ford class incorporates 23 new or upgraded systems compared to the Nimitz class, with reduced crew requirements despite larger size. Additional Ford-class carriers under construction or planned include Enterprise (CVN 80), Doris Miller (CVN 81), William J. Clinton (CVN 82), and George W. Bush (CVN 83).
USS John F. Kennedy departs for acceptance sea trials
The USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the US Navy's second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, left Newport News Shipbuilding on 12 August 2026 to begin acceptance sea trials. These trials are the final major evaluation phase before the vessel's handover, currently projected for March 2027. The shipyard completed builder's trials in February 2026. Construction began in February 2011, with keel laying in August 2015 and christening in October 2019. The carrier measures 1,092 feet, displaces about 100,000 tons, and can support up to 90 aircraft including F-35s and F/A-18s. The Ford class incorporates 23 new or upgraded systems compared to Nimitz-class carriers, with reduced crew requirements. Additional Ford-class ships under construction or planned include Enterprise (CVN 80), Doris Miller (CVN 81), William J. Clinton (CVN 82), and George W. Bush (CVN 83).
Carrier John F. Kennedy Leaves Newport News for Acceptance Trials, 7 Weapons Elevators Delivered
The U.S. Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), has departed Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia to begin acceptance trials. The trials are a critical milestone before the ship is officially delivered to the Navy. The article also reports that all seven weapons elevators on the carrier have been delivered and installed, resolving a key issue that had delayed previous carriers. The Kennedy is the second ship in the Gerald R. Ford class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The acceptance trials will test the ship's systems and performance at sea over several days.