CVN-79 USS John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy is the second aircraft carrier of the Gerald R. Ford class, slated to replace USS Nimitz (CVN 68), when that ship is decommissioned.
On 29 October 2019, the ship’s dry dock was flooded officially launching the aircraft carrier approximately three months early to the original schedule. PCU John F. Kennedy was christened at Newport News Shipbuilding-Huntington Hills Industries in Newport News on Dec. 7. In addition to the unveiling of the seal, and the flooding of the ship’s dry dock, other milestones have been completed to include laying of the ship's keel on Aug. 22, 2015, and placement of the 588-metric ton island superstructure on May 29, 2019. USS John F. Kennedy was more than 20 percent complete as of November 2016.
The Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), was christened on Dec. 7, 2019, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Newport News, Virginia. Former NASA Administrator Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden, USMC (Ret.), delivered the ceremony's keynote address. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, President Kennedy’s daughter, will serve as the ship's sponsor and break a bottle of American sparkling wine against a plate welded to the hull. “USS John F. Kennedy will carry the legacy of its namesake and the power of our nation,” said Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly. “The advanced technology and warfighting capabilities this aircraft carrier brings to our global challenges will strengthen our allies and partners, extend our reach against potential adversaries, and further the global mission of our integrated naval force.”
CVN 79 is the second aircraft carrier to honor President John F. Kennedy for a lifetime of service to the nation. The president wore the uniform of our nation as a Navy lieutenant during World War II and served as the 35th President of the United States, from January 1961 to November 1963. John F. Kennedy, along with its embarked air wing and other strike group assets, will provide the core capabilities of forward presence, deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security and humanitarian assistance. Built by Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division, the Gerald R. Ford class incorporates advances in technology, such as a new propulsion system, electric plant, Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), machinery control, radars and integrated warfare systems.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced 29 May 2011 the next Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier will be named the USS John F. Kennedy. The selection John F. Kennedy, designated CVN 79, honors the 35th President of the United States and pays tribute to his service in the Navy, in the government, and to the nation. "President John F. Kennedy exemplified the meaning of service, not just to country, but service to all humanity," said Mabus. "I am honored to have the opportunity to name the next aircraft carrier after this great Sailor and inspirational leader, and to keep the rich tradition and history of USS John F. Kennedy sailing in the U.S. Fleet."
Born in Brookline, Mass., May 29, 1917, Kennedy graduated from Harvard in 1940, and entered the Navy in October 1941. During World War II, Kennedy took command of PT 109 at Tulagi Island in the Solomons, with a mission to intercept Japanese ships attempting to resupply their barges in New Georgia. In the early morning hours of Aug. 2, 1943, Kennedy's ship was inadvertently struck by an enemy ship and split in half. During the course of the next six days, Kennedy led his crew members to safety and an eventual rescue. Kennedy received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for the rescue of his crew and a Purple Heart for injuries he sustained when his ship was struck.
After his military service, Kennedy became a congressman representing the Boston area, he was elected to the Senate in 1953, and in 1961 became the youngest person to be elected president. One previous ship, USS John F. Kennedy, CV 67, was named in his honor and was decommissioned in 2007, after nearly 40 years of distinguished service, including Operation Desert Storm.
The USS John F. Kennedy and other Ford-class carriers will be the premier forward asset for crisis response and humanitarian relief, and early decisive striking power in a major combat operation. The aircraft carrier and the carrier strike group will provide forward presence, rapid response, endurance on station, and multi-mission capability throughout its 50-year service life. The USS John F. Kennedy will provide improved warfighting capability, quality of life improvements for Sailors and reduced acquisition and life cycle costs. The ship will be constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding, Va., a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries.
The Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Aircraft Carriers, Rear Adm. Thomas Moore, announced the stand up of a new program office, 27 July 2012, within PEO Carriers, PMS 379, and the assumption of office by Cmdr. Doug Oglesby. The new program office will manage the planning and procurement of John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) and future aircraft carriers of the Gerald R. Ford class. PMS 379 will join existing PEO Carriers programs PMS 312 for in-service carriers and PMS 378 for Future Carriers. PMS 378 retains responsibility for the construction and delivery of Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). "Standing up a new program office will allow the Gerald R. Ford-class to begin continuous production while ensuring CVN 78 completes construction and delivery to the highest standards. As the first new aircraft carrier design in more than 40 years, the Gerald R. Ford-class will move into modified repeat production of CVN 79 and 80 through the new program office," said Moore.
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