“John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) departed HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division today to undergo builder’s sea trials,” said Todd Corillo, a spokesman for Huntington Ingalls Industries. “These trials will test important ship systems and components at sea for the first time.”
Today, our nation’s newest aircraft carrier, John F. Kennedy (#CVN79), departed our #NewportNewsShipbuilding division to begin builder’s sea trials. These trials will test important ship systems and components at sea for the first time. @USNavy @COMNAV_AIRLANT @USNavyNNPP (1/2) pic.twitter.com/7ECK3YhPfw
— HII (@WeAreHII) January 28, 2026
Builder’s sea trials take place before delivery of the ship to the United States Navy and allow the shipbuilder to assess performance and functionality of key systems. The carrier has experienced multiple schedule delays during construction at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding facility.
The Navy revised its original two-phase delivery plan in 2020 and moved to a single-phase delivery, adding two years of design and construction work. The changes included modifications to support operation of the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II and installation of the new Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar.
According to budget documents, delivery was previously planned for July 2025 but was delayed again due to challenges integrating new technologies. “The CVN-79 delivery date shifted from July 2025 to March 2027 (preliminary acceptance TBD) to support completion of Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) certification and continued Advanced Weapons Elevator (AWE) work,” the documents state.
