Shipbuilding: Flight Deck Lifted onto US Aircraft Carrier
See Newport News Shipbuilding install the first piece of John F. Kennedy's (CVN 79) flight deck, which includes command and control, pilot ready rooms, jet blast deflector and components of the advanced arresting gear system.
CVN 79 is being built using modular construction, a process where smaller sections of the ship are welded together to form a structural unit, known as a superlift. The superlift is then outfitted with piping, electrical equipment, cable, ventilation and joiner work and is lifted from the assembly area into the dry dock.
With the recent superlifts, The U.S. Navy’s next nuclear-powered aircraft carrier currently stands about 100 feet in height with only the island and main mast remaining to bring the ship to its full height of 252 feet.
John F. Kennedy, the second ship in the Gerald R. Ford class of carriers, has been taking shape at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division since the ship’s keel was laid in August 2015. The warship is now 75 percent structurally complete.
