Keel Laid for Second Ford-Class Aircraft Carrier - The Maritime Executive
By MarEx 2015-08-23 04:53:09. Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries celebrated the keel laying of the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) on Sunday. The vessel is the second ship of the Gerald R. Ford class. Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the ship's namesake, the 35th President of the United States, is the ship's sponsor. The plate will be permanently affixed to the ship, signifying the sponsor's enduring relationship with the shipbuilders and crew. In his remarks, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley expressed the significance of aircraft carriers, calling upon shipbuilders to recognize the importance of what they build. Kennedy will be the second U. S. Navy ship to bear the name of the 35th President. Like its forerunner CVN 78, Kennedy is a truly electric aircraft carrier, with many of the systems powered by steam on Nimitz-class carriers now powered by electricity. The ship is designed to save the Navy $4 billion in total ownership cost over the ship's 50-year lifespan, with fewer overall components, extended drydocking interval, improved ship-wide air conditioning and more. Source: maritime-executive.com
