The structural work for the Navy’s next Ford-class aircraft carrier, the John F. Kennedy, is now 70 percent complete, according to a Feb. 22 Huntington Ingalls press release.
Kennedy, like the most recently manufactured aircraft carriers, is being built in stages of large, completely outfitted sections at the Newport News Shipyard.
The sections are being built outside of Dry Dock 12, where the ship is being assembled, and are lifted into place by a “superlift,” the yard’s 1,050-metric-ton gantry crane. From there, the sections are welded into place.
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
Retired Vice Adm. Rich Brown was named accountable for the loss of the amphibious ship Bonhomme Richard but was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing in December. Six months later, he's facing censure from the Navy secretary.
"It was clear from the onset and confirmed throughout our visit that volunteers played a critical role in the defense of Kyiv, yet their role has not been systematically studied."