USS John F. Kennedy departs for acceptance sea trials

Published Aug 13, 01:14 PM UTC

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).