The U.S. Navy’s next aircraft carrier is now approximately 99% complete, with the sea service taking “preliminary acceptance” of the future USS John F. Kennedy.
The newest Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier completed acceptance sea trials in August, and the latest acceptance will allow the “ship and its crew to conduct at-sea testing and build underway proficiency while the shipbuilder completes final ship systems testing prior to formal delivery of the ship in Spring 2027,” according to a Navy release.
“Achieving preliminary acceptance marks a new phase for the ship and her crew, allowing them to get more water under the keel as they test and train underway,” Capt. Mark Johnson, the Navy’s Program Manager for Gerald R. Ford-Class New Construction, said in the release.
The new carrier, launched in October 2019 and christened the following month, was initially slated for delivery in July 2025, but Navy and congressionally mandated equipment changes caused years-long delays.
The latest setback was due “to support completion of Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) certification and continued Advanced Weapons Elevator (AWE) work,” according to the Navy’s fiscal 2026 budget documents.
Four remaining Advanced Weapons Elevators require testing, with JFK’s shipbuilder, Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII, to complete final ship systems testing before potentially turning the aircraft carrier over to the Navy next spring.
At 1,092 feet long and weighing 100,000 tons, the overall procurement cost for the vessel was to the tune of $13.2 billion, a December 2025 CRS report indicated.
The John F. Kennedy left Newport News, Virginia, on Tuesday to begin its transition to Naval Station Norfolk, according to a HII release.
“Achieving preliminary acceptance is another step toward ensuring the U.S. Navy has the aircraft carriers it needs to carry out the mission of defending our nation,” said Bryan Caccavale, NNS vice president of program management. “It is an honor to see Kennedy depart and begin integration into the fleet.”
Claire Barrett is an editor and military history correspondent for Military Times. She holds a master’s degree in military history from King’s College, London, and is also a World War II researcher with an unparalleled affinity for Sir Winston Churchill and Michigan football.