DefenseUSS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) completes builder’s sea trials in Virginia
The future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) has completed builder’s sea trials and returned to the Newport News shipyard in Virginia, under a program timeline that calls for delivery to the United States Navy in 2027.
The carrier, the second ship of the Gerald R. Ford class, left the shipyard about a week earlier for its first at-sea trials, which are intended to test propulsion, navigation and a range of onboard systems before formal delivery. According to official statements, the trials involved sailors assigned to the ship’s pre-commissioning unit, Navy personnel and shipyard workers operating jointly at sea.
Builder’s sea trials are conducted to verify basic ship performance and system functionality prior to acceptance trials, which will be led by the Navy at a later stage. With the completion of this phase, work will now resume at the yard to address any issues identified during testing.
The John F. Kennedy is currently slated for delivery to the Navy in March 2027, with preliminary acceptance expected around mid-2026. The ship’s schedule has shifted several times over the past few years as the Navy revised its delivery approach and incorporated additional capabilities earlier than originally planned.
Unlike the lead ship of the class, USS Gerald R. Ford, CVN 79 is being delivered with modifications to support the F-35C carrier-based fighter from the outset, rather than through later upgrades. The carrier will also enter service equipped with the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar, a key sensor in the Ford-class design.
Progress on the ship has also depended on the maturation and certification of new systems introduced with the class, including the Advanced Arresting Gear, used to recover aircraft on the flight deck, and the Advanced Weapons Elevators, which move ordnance between decks. Integration and certification of these systems have contributed to delays across the program.
See also: Former aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) begins final voyage
The timing of Kennedy’s delivery is significant for the Navy’s carrier force structure. With USS Nimitz (CVN 68) expected to retire in the near term, the fleet is projected to temporarily drop from 11 to 10 aircraft carriers until CVN 79 enters service.
The ship was built by HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division, the Navy’s sole builder of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.
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