Framed within the planning and execution of its current and future naval construction programs, the United States Navy (US Navy) is evaluating the implementation of improvements in the design of the new Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear aircraft carriers, with the aim of optimizing costs, construction times, and operational performance of the next units to be contracted in the coming years. These new ships, whose first unit is in service and operating in the Middle East, while the second is undergoing its sea and navigation trials, are intended to replace the current Nimitz class over the coming decades; with the retirement of USS Nimitz already scheduled for 2027.
The review comes before the awarding of the respective contracts for the construction order of the next units of the class, in a context where the U.S. Navy seeks to capitalize on the experience gained with the first ships of the class, particularly USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and the units currently in different stages of construction and testing, such as the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79).
Among the main aspects under analysis are possible adjustments to the configuration of the island (the elevated superstructure on the flight deck that houses the bridge, flight control, radars, and exhausts), improvements in the internal layout of spaces, as well as optimizations in critical systems such as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and the AAG recovery system, both central elements of the class design that have presented technical challenges in their early stages of implementation.
The review also aims to reduce the costs associated with each unit. In this regard, the Ford program has historically been subject to criticism for its high costs—with figures exceeding USD 13 billion per ship in its early units—which has led the Navy to seek greater efficiency through the standardization of construction processes and the incorporation of incremental design improvements.
Currently, the second aircraft carrier of the class, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), is in the sea trials phase that began in early 2026, advancing toward its future delivery and commissioning. During this initial phase, the operation of the main systems, equipment, and components of the nuclear aircraft carrier was evaluated at sea for the first time. It is also worth noting that this unit is said to already incorporate lessons learned from CVN-78, with improvements in system integration and construction processes.
For its part, the third ship, USS Enterprise (CVN-80), continues under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding, while the fourth, USS Doris Miller (CVN-81), began its fabrication following the steel-cutting ceremony carried out in 2021, after the contract awarded in 2019, consolidating the continuity of the program. The ship will also be the second aircraft carrier built entirely using digital designs and procedures instead of traditional paper-based plans and products. The keel laying of Doris Miller is scheduled for 2026, with delivery planned for 2032.
In parallel, with the Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division of Huntington Ingalls Industries responsible for their construction, the U.S. Navy has already defined the names of its future units, including CVN-82 USS William J. Clinton and CVN-83 USS George W. Bush, reflecting the intention to sustain a continuous production line of nuclear aircraft carriers as a central pillar of its naval power.
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