John F Kennedy construction progressing
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division has completed 50 percent construction of the US Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F Kennedy (CVN 79), the company announced on 31 August.
The latest superlift unit to be completed, weighing approximately 905 metric tonnes, is one of the heaviest of the planned steel structures that will be joined together to make up the second ship in the Gerald R Ford class. The superlift of the aft section of the ship between the hangar bay and flight deck is 80ft long, about 110ft wide and four decks in height.
Combining 19 smaller units into one superlift allowed the company to install a majority of the outfitting equipment – grating, pumps, valves, pipe, electrical panels, mounting studs, lighting, ventilation and other components – before the structure was hoisted into the dry dock using the shipyard’s 1,050-metric tonne gantry crane.
Kennedy is scheduled to move from the dry dock to an outfitting berth in the fourth quarter of 2019, three months ahead of schedule.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates]()
Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates
The Italian Navy is being refreshed with two new ships ordered, while in the past six months steel was cut for a new frigate, an enhanced frigate was delivered and Horizon-class frigates passed a design review.
-
![US Navy foresees additional delays in the Columbia-class programme]()
US Navy foresees additional delays in the Columbia-class programme
After estimating that the first Columbia-class submarine would be delivered 16 months late, the US Navy has recently confirmed that an additional month will be required to complete its construction.
-
![Indonesia’s PT PAL reveals details about Red White Frigates]()
Indonesia’s PT PAL reveals details about Red White Frigates
The frigates are based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design but are substantially changed and include a range of Turkish weapons such as radars, sonar, guns and electronic warfare systems.
