"John F. Kennedy has emerged from our Newport News Shipbuilding division to begin acceptance sea trials. During these trials, important systems and components of the ship will be tested and evaluated at sea," HII stated. The departure from Norfolk, Virginia, marked the second time the 'John F. Kennedy' has gone to sea after factory trials conducted in January, during which HII tested the ship's systems. The delivery of the ship has been delayed due to two systems. These are the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), which 'catches' aircraft during landing, and the Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE) – advanced elevators for transporting munitions from internal storage to aircraft on the deck. Earlier, the U.S. Congress mandated that the 'John F. Kennedy' be capable of operating F-35C fighters during its first combat deployment. The aircraft carrier has also been equipped with the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar. The ship is expected to be delivered to the U.S. Navy in March 2027. ## ## Gerald R. Ford Class Aircraft Carriers – Background USS John F. Kennedy is the second nuclear aircraft carrier of the newest Gerald R. Ford class. These are the largest warships in the world (approximately 335 meters long). They replace the legendary Nimitz-class aircraft carriers and represent a revolutionary leap in naval technology. Instead of traditional steam catapults, aircraft on the 'Gerald R. Ford' are launched using an electromagnetic system. This allows for a smoother acceleration of aircraft and reduces stress on their structures. The 'Gerald R. Ford' aircraft carriers also have a significantly smaller crew compared to their predecessors (about 600–700 fewer personnel), achieved through the digitization and automation of many processes. ## ## U.S. Navy – Other News Recently, UNIAN reported that the total cost of the first U.S. nuclear missile cruiser of the 'Trump' class – USS Defiant – could reach a record $23.4 billion. This is approximately $8 billion more than previous U.S. Navy estimates. If the estimate is confirmed, USS Defiant will become the most expensive combat ship in history.