September 29, 2026
HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding Achieves Preliminary Acceptance of John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)
NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Sept. 29, 2026 — HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division has achieved preliminary acceptance of John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
Preliminary acceptance, the final step before formal delivery to the U.S. Navy, allows the Navy to begin underway test and evaluation of Kennedy’s unique systems and for the crew to gain operational proficiency. CVN 79 successfully completed acceptance trials in August.
“Achieving preliminary acceptance is another step toward ensuring the U.S. Navy has the aircraft carriers it needs to carry out the mission of defending our nation,” said Bryan Caccavale, NNS vice president of program management. “It is an honor to see Kennedy depart and begin integration into the fleet.”
CVN 79 continues the legacy of highly capable nuclear-powered aircraft carrier platforms. The carrier departed NNS today and will transition to Naval Station Norfolk.
About HII
HII is America's Seapower Company. The nation’s largest shipbuilder, HII builds the manned and unmanned maritime systems and all-domain mission technologies that project U.S. and allied power around the world. With a more than 140-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII is headquartered in Virginia and employs 45,000 people across three divisions.
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