Posted on 08/13/2026 12:06:40 PM PDT by Red Badger
PCU John F. Kennedy departs Newport News for acceptance trials. (Image credit: HII)
The John F. Kennedy, the second Gerald R. Ford class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, left Newport News on Aug. 12 to commence acceptance trials before its handover to the U.S. Navy. Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) John F. Kennedy, soon to be the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) will now have its systems and equipment evaluated in these final manufacturer trials to prove it is up to specification before delivery.
Previously scheduled for delivery in 2025, the 100,000 ton aircraft carrier was delayed by issues with the new Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) as well as its Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE). It first set sail in January 2026 for initial manufacturer trials.
In between the two trials periods, U.S. Navy personnel have been busy at work on board the ship conducting drills and ensuring both the vessel and its crew are fit to sail.
Unlike the Gerald R. Ford, the Kennedy will – thanks to Congressional intervention, and delays – be delivered to the Navy ready and able to operate the F-35C Lightning II. Modifications necessary include reinforcement of the jet blast deflectors, as well as the addition of specialised equipment and systems used to maintain the fifth gen stealth fighter.
After entering service, the Kennedy is due to be homeported at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton in the state of Washington. This will make it the first Ford class based on the U.S. West Coast, ideally positioned for regular deployments to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Under current plans the carrier will arrive there no earlier than 2029. A $145 million overhaul of the naval port’s facilities – focused on electrical infrastructure – ahead of the Kennedy’s arrival began in May 2025.
The carrier will supplant the veteran USS Nimitz (CVN 68) which is on the cusp of being decommissioned. A short reprieve has been granted, partially in order to fulfil the U.S. Navy’s legal mandate to operate at least eleven aircraft carriers, though it is unlikely to ever sail on an extended operational deployment ever again.
Commissioning of the new carrier is pencilled in for March 2027, though it should be noted that this will not mean the ship will then be ready for active operational service from this point.
As well as the requirement to be able to operate F-35s from delivery, the John F. Kennedy was also chosen to be the first Ford class carrier with the new AN/SPY-6(V)3 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR). This is a fixed panel version of the radar system already retrofitted to several Nimitz class carriers.
The Gerald R. Ford itself is instead fitted with the AN/SPY-4, and due to various issues and high costs encountered with the system it will likely remain the only ship to carry this type of unit. AN/SPY-4 was developed to work in tandem with the AN/SPY-3, forming the Dual Band Radar (DBR) system for the Zumwalt class and the Gerald R. Ford class. None of the three Zumwalt class destroyers were ever fitted with their AN/SPY-4 panels.
After the Kennedy, the next aircraft carrier to enter U.S. Navy service is due to be the USS Enterprise (CVN 80). Under current plans, the Enterprise will commission in 2031.
In 2034, the Enterprise will be joined by the USS Doris Miller (CVN 81), named for a U.S. Navy sailor who, after carrying wounded sailors to safety during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor later manned a machine gun and – without any prior experience – downed at least one attacking Japanese aircraft. He became the first ever black man to receive the Navy Cross, which was bestowed by Chester Nimitz in 1942. Miller was killed in action the following year on board the USS Liscome Bay.
After the Doris Miller, the only Gerald R. Ford class currently due to be named for someone other than a former President, the next two named vessels are the William J. Clinton and the George W. Bush, both yet to begin construction.
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What we need are aircraft carriers that can hide underwater like a submarine.
Better than a Qatari Air Force One! ;-)
They should name it CVN 109.
Does anyone know what our inventory of SM-2, SM-3, and SM-6 missiles are?
The THAAD and Patriot missiles stockpiles have been getting a lot of press, but, the above are also crucial to our ops around Iran.
Japan attempted that with the I-400 class. But think how a big sub could launch lots of drones that could float to the surface and take off from there to fly their missions.
Ask China, Russia, NK or the New York Times............
Ask China, Russia, NK or the New York Times............
I am starting to think that the whole “drone” thing is massively overrated.
They have to be guided by GPS or Starlink (which is probably GPS - even from ground).
Switch the damned system OFF.
Nevermind missiles and ammunition. Do they have enough sandwiches and coffee for the seamen?
Big ole boat!
How many Navy sailors and how many contractors are onboard during these trials?
“”ensuring both the vessel and its crew are fit to sail””
Better leave port soon or the crew won’t be fit!!!
I know its wrong but....
Is the USS JFK out cruising for chicks?
He died at 46 and indicators are he had 58 GF or mistresses.
No wonder Clinton admired him
Unlike the USS EMK, it won't drown them ...
“The Yorktown will be ready, in less than 48hrs “
Why does the USS John F. Kennedy seem doomed...?
I would never want to be on it...
The first one was fine...............
The embarrassment of serving on the Clintoon..........
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