On September 29, 2026, Huntington Ingalls Industries announced the successful completion of the preliminary acceptance test of the second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the future John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).
HII press release
HII announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division has achieved preliminary acceptance of John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
Preliminary acceptance, the final step before formal delivery to the U.S. Navy, allows the Navy to begin underway test and evaluation of Kennedy’s unique systems and for the crew to gain operational proficiency. CVN 79 successfully completed acceptance trials in August.
“Achieving preliminary acceptance is another step toward ensuring the U.S. Navy has the aircraft carriers it needs to carry out the mission of defending our nation,” said Bryan Caccavale, NNS vice president of program management. “It is an honor to see Kennedy depart and begin integration into the fleet.”
CVN 79 continues the legacy of highly capable nuclear-powered aircraft carrier platforms. The carrier departed NNS today and will transition to Naval Station Norfolk.
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