NORFOLK, Va. — John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) has reached another milestone as the aircraft carrier moves closer to joining the U.S. Navy fleet.
HII announced Saturday that its Newport News Shipbuilding division successfully completed acceptance sea trials for the carrier, the second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
The Kennedy returned to Newport News Shipbuilding following testing and evaluation of key ship systems and components at sea. The trials brought together Newport News shipbuilders, sailors assigned to the Kennedy and other Navy personnel.
“It is an honor to take Kennedy to sea to demonstrate the quality work and commitment by our shipbuilders,” Derek Murphy, Newport News Shipbuilding vice president of new construction aircraft carrier programs, said in a statement.
Murphy said the trials represent the work of thousands of people across the country's nuclear shipbuilding enterprise as the carrier prepares to join the fleet.
Acceptance sea trials are another major step for the Kennedy as it moves toward entering Navy service. During the trials, crews tested and evaluated the carrier's operations and systems at sea.
The milestone follows successful builder's sea trials earlier this year.
With acceptance sea trials now complete, HII says the next step is preliminary acceptance. That will allow the Navy to begin underway testing and evaluation of systems unique to the Kennedy.
John F. Kennedy is the second carrier in the Navy's Gerald R. Ford class, following Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), which was also built at Newport News Shipbuilding.
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