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
-
![Could the USCG icebreaker requirement open the door for more inland shipbuilding?]()
Could the USCG icebreaker requirement open the door for more inland shipbuilding?
The formation of a Great Lakes shipbuilding alliance could prompt a shift in how the US approaches naval and coast guard construction. But can distributed inland shipyards ease the country’s shipbuilding capacity?
-
![US Navy bets on radio frequency to increase vessel protection against aerial threats]()
US Navy bets on radio frequency to increase vessel protection against aerial threats
A Northrop Grumman RF-based defensive capability will equip USN destroyers and aircraft carriers to enhance their survivability against missile and drone attacks.
-
![Naval Group’s Barracuda bid could deepen Franco-Greek naval alignment]()
Naval Group’s Barracuda bid could deepen Franco-Greek naval alignment
As the Hellenic Navy looks to replace its ageing submarines with a next-generation fleet, other likely contenders for the programme include TKMS, Saab, Fincantieri, Navantia and Hanwha Ocean.
-
![US Navy budget seeks 34 ships on yesterday’s industrial base]()
US Navy budget seeks 34 ships on yesterday’s industrial base
The 2027 budget demands 34 new vessels, but ageing yards and backlogs raise questions about whether American shipbuilding can deliver.
-
![Australia is ramping up its uncrewed surface fleet as Sea Archer lines up for key requirement]()
Australia is ramping up its uncrewed surface fleet as Sea Archer lines up for key requirement
As advances in uncrewed technology increasingly shape Australia’s maritime future, Shephard spoke with the country’s head of navy capability and a Leidos Australia executive about the operational advantages behind the shift.
