The second Ford-class aircraft carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), will now join the U.S. Navy’s fleet with a delayed timeframe and a budget increase, as confirmed by Huntington Ingalls Industries. Set to operate in the Pacific theater, Kennedy’s entry into service has significant implications for the U.S. Navy’s power projection and operational readiness in the region.
Following a detailed contract modification, the delivery of USS Kennedy has been rescheduled to July 2025, rather than the initially planned June 2024. This deliberate extension aligns with a $400 million budget augmentation, reflecting the Navy’s commitment to equipping the carrier with more advanced baseline capabilities upon its commission. “This strategy will decrease post-delivery work required and increase ship capability and readiness at delivery,” remarked Newport News Shipbuilding VP Lucas Hicks. This approach aims to avert the extensive post-shakedown work that marked Ford’s debut, ensuring Kennedy’s swift transition into active duty.
The vessel’s extended construction period, now anticipated to span 14 years, leverages the “lessons learned” from USS Ford’s labor-intensive repairs and modifications. Significantly, this includes the incorporation of the F-35C Lightning II fighters – an asset not initially considered during the Ford-class conceptualization. The F-35’s integration reflects an adaptive strategy, ensuring that the Kennedy is proficiently equipped to handle the cutting-edge aircraft and its specialized requirements.
These enhancements serve not just to augment the carrier’s capabilities but also to address issues identified in the construction of the USS Ford. From radar system changes to fixes necessitated by initial design flaws, this process reflects a meticulous effort to perfect the Ford-class carriers. Upon its completion, the Kennedy will emerge as a formidable platform, reflecting the lessons of its forerunner’s six years of post-delivery updates, which concluded with the Ford’s inaugural full deployment in May.
While the focus remains on the future of the USS Kennedy, the fate of its namesake, the former USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), captivates those with ties to its storied past. Contracted to International Shipbreaking Ltd./EMR Brownsville for dismantlement, the retired vessel’s journey to Brownsville has been marked by unanticipated delays, shrouded in stringent security protocols.
Robert Berry, vice president of International Shipbreaking Ltd./EMR Brownsville, estimated that there was a 70-80% chance that the retired aircraft carrier would arrive here by mid-December while conceding that delays were possible since complications can arise. The Navy awarded the contract to ISL in 2021 to dismantle the ship, the last conventionally powered carrier in the Navy’s fleet.
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