February 10, 2026, 6:02 pm
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) confirmed that its Newport News Shipbuilding yard has successfully wrapped up builder’s sea trials for USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), the second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the Gerald R. Ford class. Following its initial period of operations at sea—focused on exercising and verifying key ship systems and major components—the carrier has returned to Newport News. The trials involved close coordination between shipyard specialists, the ship’s crew, and U.S. Navy representatives, all working together to assess the vessel’s overall performance and operational readiness.
Derek Murphy, Newport News Shipbuilding vice president of new construction aircraft carrier programs, said,
"Taking Kennedy to sea is a testament to the grit and determination of the world’s finest shipbuilders"
The Ford class represents a major generational advance in U.S. Navy aircraft carrier design, incorporating new technologies and operational improvements over earlier supercarriers.
USS John F. Kennedy is slated to take over from USS Nimitz, which is expected to retire around 2027, although an extension remains possible to preserve a 12-carrier fleet. In the decades ahead, ships of the Ford class are intended to phase out the Nimitz class on a direct replacement basis, maintaining fleet size while delivering greater efficiency, power generation, and future growth potential.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes how USS John F. Kennedy improves on Nimitz class super-carriers?
#defenseupdates #ussjohnfkennedy #usnavy
Chapters:
0:00 TITLE
00:11 INTRODUCTION
01:51 SPONSORSHIP – NordVPN
02:25 MORE STABLE
03:16 EXTENSIVE AUTOMATION
04:09 ELECTROMAGNETIC AIRCRAFT LAUNCH SYSTEM
05:38 ADVANCED ARRESTING GEAR LANDING SYSTEM
06:57 BETTER REACTORS
08:10 IMPROVED RADAR
10:21 AWE
11:54 STRONGER BUILT
Sponsorship:
✴️ https://nordvpn.com/DEFENSE
🎯 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay updated on the latest in defense , geo-politics & military tech.
Content Creator – Defense Updates
