NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The U.S. Navy's newest aircraft carrier will be christened on Saturday, December 7 at Newport News Shipbuilding.
The future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) is the latest flagship to be constructed, and the second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier.
Caroline Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy's daughter and sponsor of his namesake ship, will smash a bottle of American sparkling wine across the ship's hull.
''USS John F. Kennedy will carry the legacy of its namesake and the power of our nation,'' said Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly in a news release. ''The advanced technology and warfighting capabilities this aircraft carrier brings to our global challenges will strengthen our allies and partners, extend our reach against potential adversaries, and further the global mission of our integrated naval force.''
The ship's builder, Huntington Ingalls Industries, has taken lessons learned from the construction of the Gerald R. Ford in building the Kennedy.
At $11.4 billion, the Kennedy is already a bargain compared to the $12.9 billion Ford. It is also being christened three months ahead of when the Ford was at the same point in its construction cycle.
"So we started off at the very beginning looking at everything we do, from how we buy material to how we engineer to how we test on the ship," said CVN 79 Program Director Mike Butler. "We looked at everything we do and figured how we can do that more efficiently, how can we do that cheaper. We were ruthless."
The Kennedy is the second aircraft carrier to be named after the nation's 35th president. It is slated to replace USS Nimitz (CVN 68) when that ship is decommissioned.
The christening ceremony is not open to the public. Invited guests include shipbuilders and their families; Kennedy sailors and their families; the Kennedy family and invited guests; and Navy and government representatives.
Retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General and former NASA Administrator Charles Frank Bolden Jr., will serve as the principal speaker.
Additionally, chorus students from Suffolk's John F. Kennedy Middle School will perform three songs during the event. Directed by Jamilla Ford, students will perform for a crowd of nearly 20,000, including the event’s finale song "America the Beautiful."
The ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 7 at 11 a.m. Anyone will be able to watch a live stream on our website.
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