The USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is officially scheduled for delivery and commissioning in March 2027.
Construction on the Navy’s second of ten planned Gerald R. Ford-class supercarriers has faced delays to accommodate the certification of new technologies, including the Advanced Arresting Gear and Advanced Weapons Elevator.
From 2017 – The aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) pulls into Naval Station Norfolk for the first time. The first-of-class ship – the first new U.S. aircraft carrier design in 40 years – spent several days conducting builder’s sea trails, a comprehensive test of many of the ship’s key systems and technologies. (U.S. Navy photo by Matt Hildreth courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries/Released)
Ford-Class. Ford-Class Aircraft Carrier USS Ford.
(Mar. 12, 2022) Sailors aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) assemble on the flight deck and form a human ‘100’ to commemorate the centennial of the aircraft carrier. On March 20, 1922 the former USS Jupiter (Collier #3) recommissioned as the USS Langley (CV 1), the U. S. Navy’s first aircraft carrier. One hundred years later, Nimitz and Ford-class aircraft carriers are the cornerstone of the Navy’s ability to maintain sea control and project power ashore. Nimitz is the first in its class and the oldest commissioned aircraft carrier afloat., carrying with it a legacy of innovation, evolution and dominance. Nimitz is underway in the 3rd Fleet Area of Operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Elliot Schaudt)
The shipbuilder, Huntington Ingalls Industries at Newport News Shipbuilding, successfully concluded the carrier’s initial builder sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean earlier this year.
Builder’s sea trials are a standard part of naval manufacturing, taking place before the handover of the vessel to the US Navy.
The Carrier Has Been Delayed Several Times
Barring any further delays, which have set back the ship several times, the USS Kennedy will now be delivered in March 2027, according to the Navy’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget justification documents.
The carrier was scheduled for delivery in July, per last year’s budget plans.
Newport News Shipbuilding said technological advancements in the carrier design would increase operational efficiency and reduce manning requirements; the Kennedy would require 900 fewer sailors than the Nimitz-class, according to the Navy.
The Ford-class carriers also feature an upgraded pair of nuclear reactors, increasing their electrical power-generation capacity.
The Ford class generates nearly three times the electrical capacity of the preceding Nimitz class, jumping from roughly 30 megawatts to nearly 100-125 megawatts of electrical power.
The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) underway on its own power for the first time. The first-of-class ship — the first new U.S. aircraft carrier design in 40 years — spent several days conducting builder’s sea trials, a comprehensive test of many of the ship’s key systems and technologies.
Ford-class Aircraft Carrier. Image Credit: US Navy.
This upgrade is driven by two new A1B nuclear reactors built by Bechtel, which provide about a 25 percent increase in thermal energy output (roughly 700 MWt each) while using a simpler, lighter, and more efficient design that requires a smaller operating crew.
Differences Between The Kennedy and Ford Carriers
The USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) is the second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier and features significant design improvements over the lead ship, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78). Key differences include a superior AN/SPY-6(V)3 radar (replacing the DBR), improved construction, and a designed-in capability for F-35C operations.
The AN/SPY-6(V)3 radar, also known as the fixed-face version of Raytheon’s Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR), will replace the Ford’s Dual Band Radar (DBR). The DBR has proven highly problematic over the years.
The USS Kennedy uses a “complete model” approach and larger superlifts, which are expected to improve construction efficiency. The island structure is also modified to accommodate the new radar.
The Kennedy is designed from the beginning for enhanced capabilities, including the integration of F-35C Lightning II fighters and Boeing MQ-25 Stingray drones.
The Kennedy is designed to achieve a faster, more cost-effective entry into the fleet, benefiting from the at times difficult learning curve of the first-in-class Ford.
The Kennedy incorporates fixes for early issues identified during the construction and sea trials of the Ford, particularly concerning the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG).
What Are The Issues With the USS Kennedy?
This delay is due to ongoing issues with the ship’s advanced arresting gear and weapons elevators.
Consequently, the U.S. Navy will temporarily operate with one fewer aircraft carrier, reducing the fleet to 10 ships on paper, for about a year.
The United States Navy’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget justification states that the delay is necessary “to support completion of Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) certification and continued Advanced Weapons Elevator (AWE) work.” Both the Advanced Arresting Gear and the Advanced Weapons Elevator are new technologies being pioneered by the Ford-class.
These two systems, combined with persistent shipyard workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions, were cited as the direct causes of the new 2027 delivery estimate, according to the Army Recognition Group.
The New Advanced Arresting Gear Should Increase Reliability
The AAG is a modular, integrated system consisting of energy absorbers, power conditioning equipment, and digital controls, designed as the follow-on to the Mark-7 (Mk-7) arresting gear. The Navy is currently utilizing the Mk-7 Mod 3 and Mk-7 Mod 4 designs on all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.
The AAG architecture, Health Monitoring Assessment and Prognostics technology, and digital control system provide built-in test and diagnosis, resulting in the system requiring less maintenance and manpower to operate than the Mk-7.
This is designed to provide higher reliability and safety margins, while allowing sailors to focus on other areas of need. The system is also designed to enable the potential arrestment of a broader range of aircraft, from the lightest unmanned aerial vehicles to the heaviest manned fighters.
The AAG was developed to replace the “legacy hydraulic arresting systems with an electromagnetic turbo-electric engine designed to recover a wider range of aircraft weights.” That includes lighter unmanned aerial systems (UAS). It also aims to reduce the stress loads on the aircraft’s airframes during launch.
The current Mk-7 Mod 3 arresting gear is a hydraulic system on U.S. aircraft carriers designed to quickly stop aircraft by using a tail hook to engage a series of cables stretched across the deck. This system can bring a 50,000-pound aircraft to a stop in under 350 feet. The AAG will replace it.
The Advanced Weapons Elevator Issues
Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWEs) are electromagnetic systems used on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) to move ordnance from weapons magazines to the flight deck.
They are faster, have more than double the capacity of older hydraulic systems, and can operate more smoothly with fewer crew members due to their advanced electronic and electromagnetic propulsion.
These elevators were a significant technological challenge, but they were completed and are now a critical part of the carrier’s operational capability in the new Ford-class aircraft carriers.
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) spokesman Todd Corillo said lessons learned from building the carrier will make it easier to build future Ford-class carriers.
“Specifically, John F. Kennedy’s (CVN 79) construction was fairly advanced when many Ford lessons were realized, precluding timely implementation of lessons learned for Kennedy,” Corillo said in a statement.
“In contrast, Enterprise (CVN 80) and Doris Miller (CVN 81) have been able to incorporate, leverage, and capitalize on Ford lessons learned earlier in the construction process.”
INSURV Acceptance Trials
The Kennedy (CVN-79) has not yet undergone its formal Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) acceptance trials.
The nuclear-powered supercarrier successfully completed its initial Builder’s Sea Trials on February 4, 2026, and the official INSURV acceptance trials remain the next major milestone ahead of final fleet delivery scheduled for March 2027.
Conducted by the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV), Acceptance Trials comprise rigorous in-port and underway evaluations.
They independently verify that a new ship—such as the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN-79)—complies with contract specifications, meets military requirements, and is operationally ready for fleet introduction.
The INSURV trials typically uncover a myriad of issues that need to be addressed before acceptance and commissioning. That could delay the ship even further.
The Navy needs Kennedy to begin retiring its aging Nimitz-class carriers. Once the Navy retires the USS Nimitz from active service next year as planned, the total size of the service’s carrier force will drop to 10 carriers until the USS John F. Kennedy is commissioned
There is a critical shortage of carrier strength due to global requirements and the fact that half of the carriers are in port for maintenance at any time.
MORE – The US Navy Will Soon Lose a Seawolf-Class Submarine
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
