U.S. Navy Completes Preliminary Acceptance of Future USS John F. Kennedy
Following successful completion of acceptance trials in August, the U.S. Navy on Tuesday, September 29, took “preliminary acceptance” of the nation’s next aircraft carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), from Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII. According to the Navy, preliminary acceptance will allow the ship and its crew to conduct at-sea testing and build underway proficiency while the shipbuilder completes final ship systems testing before formal delivery of the new carrier.
Preliminary acceptance allows CVN 79 to be delivered to the U.S. Navy on the fastest path possible to achieve combat readiness. The Navy is expected to take formal delivery of the carrier in March.
“Achieving preliminary acceptance marks a new phase for the ship and her crew, allowing them to get more water under the keel as they test and train underway, said Captain Mark Johnson, the Navy’s Program Manager for Gerald R. Ford-Class New Construction. "This milestone is a testament to the shared commitment of our sailors and our combined Navy-industry team, who remain laser-focused on completing the final stages of construction and test with precision and efficiency to deliver combat-ready lethality to the fleet."
John F. Kennedy is reported to be approximately 99 percent complete. All major systems are complete. The shipbuilder is currently completing final ship systems testing, including testing of the remaining four Advanced Weapons Elevators.
After years of delays, the multi-billion-dollar carrier went to sea for the first time on its builder’s sea trials, which were completed in early February. The second member of the Ford class completed acceptance sea trials in mid-August. USNI News reports the Navy said the carrier has now departed the Newport News shipyard, moving over to a berth at Naval Station Norfolk, where the final elements will be completed.
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The carrier still faces extensive trials and training before it will be deployed for the first time. However, with the lessons learned from the commissioning of Gerald R. Ford, the Navy is confident it can accelerate the process with fewer problems along the way.
The third Ford class carrier, the future USS Enterprise (CVN-80), is also experiencing delays, now projected for delivery in 2030. Newport News reported that work was starting for the fourth carrier, which was named USS Doris Miller (CVN-81), but rumors are that the Pentagon and Trump administration are considering reassigning the name of the carrier, which is likely not to be delivered before 2034.
