【U.S. Ford-class aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy enters final acceptance sea trials, scheduled for delivery in 2027】
According to Army Recognition, a Belgian defense website, on August 13, 2026: Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced on August 12, 2026, that the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), a Ford-class aircraft carrier, has departed the Newport News Shipbuilding yard to begin its acceptance sea trials. This maritime testing will comprehensively evaluate and assess the ship’s core systems and supporting equipment.
USNI News, reporting on the same day, noted new progress in the construction of the ship’s weapon elevators. Of the 11 advanced weapon elevators, seven have now been completed. According to documents submitted to the U.S. Congress and disclosed by USNI News, these seven elevators can connect to all ammunition magazines. While the remaining four are still under construction, crew members can already use the completed systems for operational training and qualification certification. After multiple schedule revisions, the USS John F. Kennedy is now scheduled for formal delivery to the U.S. Navy in March 2027.
The USS John F. Kennedy belongs to the Ford class, the first comprehensive redesign of U.S. aircraft carriers in decades. The vessel measures approximately 333 meters in length and features a flight deck width of about 77 meters, with a full-load displacement exceeding 100,000 tons—maintaining the standard dimensions of America’s supercarriers—but with significantly restructured internal architecture. It is powered by two A1B nuclear reactors driving four main shafts, enabling a maximum speed exceeding 30 knots. Its nuclear propulsion allows for extended long-range operations without refueling for propulsion. However, regular logistical support is still required for replenishing onboard aircraft squadrons with munitions, spare parts, and personnel.
One of the most significant advancements in the Ford class is its electrical power generation capacity, which is roughly 2.5 times that of the Nimitz class. Abundant electrical power supports the ship’s large-scale electrified infrastructure, powering not only electromagnetic catapults and advanced weapon elevators but also providing ample power redundancy to accommodate future high-power systems such as next-generation radars, electronic warfare equipment, and various advanced naval platforms. With a service life spanning several decades, this surplus power capacity also reserves room for future modernization upgrades.
The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) is one of the most fundamental distinctions between the Ford and Nimitz classes. Four EMALS units replace traditional steam catapults, using moving magnetic fields to accelerate aircraft to takeoff speed. The system’s output power can be precisely adjusted based on aircraft weight, reducing structural stress on the airframes while enabling compatibility with a wider range of aircraft types. This paves the way for future integration of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) alongside manned fighters in coordinated operations.
The Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) handles aircraft recovery. Utilizing digital control, it automatically adjusts arresting forces according to different aircraft types, ensuring compatibility with future naval platforms. The flight deck layout has also been reoptimized: the island structure has been reduced in size and moved significantly aft, freeing up more space for aircraft maneuvering, parking, maintenance, and ammunition transfer. Combined with electromagnetic catapults, advanced arresting gear, a new deck layout, and an upgraded ammunition handling system, the design targets a 25% increase in daily aircraft sortie rate compared to the Nimitz class.
The higher demand for increased aircraft sortie efficiency underscores the critical role of advanced weapon elevators. The Ford class features 11 electromagnetically driven weapon elevators, replacing traditional steel-cable transmission mechanisms. These elevators transport ordnance from protected magazines to ready areas and the flight deck. Their value extends beyond mere speed: during sustained high-intensity operations, sortie efficiency depends not only on catapult performance and available aircraft numbers but also on the speed of ammunition resupply, fueling, and aircraft turnaround. The lead ship CVN-78 “Ford” previously experienced elevator malfunctions, demonstrating how a single subsystem failure can severely disrupt overall deck operations.
The radar system configuration on the USS John F. Kennedy has also been adjusted. The lead ship, USS Gerald R. Ford, was equipped with a dual-band radar system centered around the AN/SPY-3 radar; however, the USS John F. Kennedy has been upgraded to use the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar, combined with the AN/SPY-6(V)3 radar, supplemented by the AN/SPQ-9B radar for surface search and target tracking. This change aligns the carrier’s radar architecture with other U.S. Navy vessels, enabling standardization across equipment, software, and logistics maintenance systems. Satellite communications and tactical data links ensure the carrier is no longer an isolated platform but deeply integrated into a full-domain operational network.
The network-centric warfare architecture represents a core tactical advantage of the USS John F. Kennedy. Depending on the composition of its air wing, the ship can carry over 75 aircraft of various types, including the F-35C stealth fighter, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet multirole fighter, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft, and multiple helicopter variants. Once the MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based unmanned refueler becomes operational, it will significantly extend the effective combat radius of the carrier’s air wing. Given that bases, patrol zones, and potential targets across the Indo-Pacific region span hundreds to thousands of kilometers, the air wing’s operational reach remains a key limiting factor in mission planning.
Each aircraft type plays a distinct role: the F-35C leverages stealth to penetrate enemy defenses, equipped with advanced sensors to collect intelligence and share it with other elements of the task force; the E-2D performs airborne early warning and tactical command and control; the EA-18G conducts electronic suppression and counters enemy air defenses; while the Super Hornet serves as a versatile platform capable of both air superiority and ground/sea attack missions. The carrier functions as a mobile, sea-based node within a distributed combat network, where aircraft, surface ships, submarines, and space-based assets share a unified battlefield picture.
Defensive capabilities employ a layered protection system. The Ford class is equipped with the RIM-162 Enhanced Sea Sparrow missile, the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM), and the 20-mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), forming an inner defensive ring. However, this weaponry constitutes only the final layer of the overall defense architecture. To counter threats such as long-range anti-ship missiles, submarines, and coordinated missile-drone attacks, the carrier’s survivability primarily relies on its own air wing, escort vessels, electronic warfare systems, long-range air defense firepower, and the ability of the formation to detect and intercept incoming threats at a distance.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873449743765513/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.