HII Concludes Acceptance Trials for Ford-Class Carrier USS John F. Kennedy

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has successfully completed acceptance sea trials for the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), marking a pivotal step toward the vessel’s anticipated delivery to the fleet in 2027. The trials, which took place from August 13 to August 15, were the first instance where the U.S. Navy oversaw the testing and evaluation of the carrier’s onboard systems while underway.

Departing from the shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, the second-in-class Ford-class carrier underwent a rigorous series of evaluations. These tests assessed the functionality of the ship’s propulsion, navigation, and combat systems. This phase follows builder’s sea trials conducted by HII earlier in February, during which the shipbuilder verified performance parameters before handing the vessel over to the Navy for inspection.

Derek Murphy, HII’s vice-president of aircraft carrier construction at Newport News Shipbuilding, characterized the event as a testament to the broader nuclear shipbuilding enterprise and the efforts of thousands of workers involved in the program. The USS John F. Kennedy is the second vessel in the Gerald R. Ford class, designed to replace the aging Nimitz-class carriers.

Huntington Ingalls serves as the sole builder of U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and one of two providers of nuclear-powered submarines. The company’s operations are divided into the Ingalls, Newport News, and Mission Technologies segments. As the primary contractor for the Ford-class program, HII is responsible for the design, construction, and testing of these massive capital assets.

Currently, HII trades on the market with a valuation of approximately $12.28 billion. On August 26, the stock was down 3.41% from the previous close, settling at $303.04. The company operates within the Industrials sector, specifically in Aerospace & Defense.

With acceptance trials now complete, the program moves toward final outfitting and additional testing milestones. The delivery timeline remains targeted for 2027, after which the ship will undergo post-delivery tests and trials before entering active service.

What to watch

• Official delivery date of CVN-79 and potential impact on HII revenue recognition.
• Upcoming contract milestones related to the third Ford-class carrier (CVN-80).
• HII’s next quarterly earnings report for segment backlog updates.

Source: original release