On January 28, 2026, the future aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) departed Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding facility to begin builder’s sea trials. The underway period marks the supercarrier’s transition from dockside testing to open-water evaluation under the shipbuilder's responsibility. Trials follow initial nuclear propulsion testing conducted in the James River in September 2025. Read full defense news at this link...
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| The construction of the USS John F. Kennedy began on July 20, 2015, at Newport News Shipbuilding, where structural assembly continued through 2019. The ship was launched on October 29, 2019, and christened on December 7, 2019, after which extensive outfitting followed over several years. (Picture source: HII) |