The September 29 milestone follows the carrier’s completion of acceptance trials in August. The ship is approximately 99% complete, and the Navy said all major systems are complete.
Newport News Shipbuilding is finishing final ship systems testing, including tests of the remaining four Advanced Weapons Elevators. Preliminary acceptance allows the crew to build proficiency underway during this work, advancing preparations for combat readiness.
“Achieving preliminary acceptance marks a new phase for the ship and her crew, allowing them to get more water under the keel as they test and train underway,” said Capt. Mark Johnson, the Navy’s program manager for Gerald R. Ford-class new construction. The Navy said the arrangement provides the fastest available path toward delivering CVN 79 and achieving combat readiness.
