USN’s second Ford-class carrier ‘tracking well’ on cost targets, says HII

Grace Jean, Washington, DC – IHS Jane’s Navy International

Key Points

• John F Kennedy (CVN 79) is 15% complete and tracking to cost targets
• The carrier is expected to be delivered in FY 2023

Shipbuilders are progressing as planned on the US Navy’s (USN’s) second Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, under construction at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division, officials told IHS Jane’s .

A unit for the USN’s second Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, John F Kennedy (CVN 79), rests on the assembly platen at Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding in 2014. (HII)

John F Kennedy (CVN 79) is 15% complete in HII’s drydock in Newport News, Virginia, the United States, Mike Shawcross, the vice-president in charge of CVN 79 construction, told IHS Jane’s .

“We are tracking well in the early stages of this programme as we leverage lessons learned from [lead carrier Gerald R Ford ] CVN 78,” said Shawcross.