The US Navy's next Ford-class supercarrier is setting sail for a new test at sea

"The USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier is setting sail for a new test at sea, specifically its shipbuilder sea trials. It marks a major milestone for the US Navy's next supercarrier. The trials will be overseen by top shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries, allowing for evaluations of the vessel before it's delivered to the Navy. Though the ship has gone through river-based propulsion testing, these trials are when the new warship leaves the yard and proves that it actually works at sea."

"The aircraft carrier's delivery date has shifted over the years, but it is now expected for March 2027. In 2020, the Navy shifted away from earlier plans to build the Kennedy in two stages and install some systems, like capabilities for operating Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II stealth fighters, after launch, instead choosing a single-phase approach that added years of work."

USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), the second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, began shipbuilder sea trials to test systems and components at sea for the first time. Huntington Ingalls Industries is overseeing the trials from its Newport News Shipbuilding division following earlier river-based propulsion testing. Construction started in February 2011, the keel was laid in August 2015, and the carrier was reported halfway complete in June 2017. Delivery has shifted over the years and is now expected in March 2027. In 2020 the Navy moved to a single-phase construction approach, which added years of work and differs from delays that affected the lead ship.

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