Rendering of third ship in the Ford-class of aircraft carriers, Enterprise (CVN 80). Credit: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division is set to conduct a ceremonial keel-laying for the US Navy’s third Gerald R Ford-class aircraft carrier.

The ceremony for Enterprise (CVN 80) will be held on 27 August, in the presence of HII’s Newport News shipbuilders and other US Navy and local officials.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

One of the ship’s sponsors Katie Ledecky will also attend the ceremony in-person, while the other sponsor Simone Biles will participate virtually.

CVN 80 will be the US Navy’s ninth vessel to be named Enterprise. It was named after the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, CVN 65, which was also constructed by HII.

In 2017, HII performed the first steel cut for the CVN 80 vessel.

According to HII, the US Navy’s Enterprise is the first aircraft carrier to be designed and built digitally.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The Gerald R Ford-class vessels have been designed to replace the US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.

The first of the four vessels of Ford-class, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), was commissioned in 2017.

Other aircraft carriers, which are currently under different stages of construction, include John F Kennedy (CVN 79) and Doris Miller (CVN 81).

The company recently achieved a systems and compartment construction milestone for CVN 79 vessel.

The vessels of this class feature enhanced weapons movement, a redesigned island, a new nuclear power plant, as well as electromagnetic catapults.

The aircraft carriers will also have improved flight deck, which will provide increased sortie rates for the aircraft and growth margin for future technologies.

The four vessels will be deployed to perform maritime security, deterrence, forward presence, sea control, power projection and humanitarian assistance operations.