{"id":28116230,"date":"2026-10-15T10:18:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T08:18:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/f-35c-first-landing-launch-ford-class-uss-john-f-kennedy-cvn-79-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T11:01:33","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T09:01:33","slug":"f-35c-first-landing-launch-ford-class-uss-john-f-kennedy-cvn-79-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/f-35c-first-landing-launch-ford-class-uss-john-f-kennedy-cvn-79-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"F-35C Lands on a Ford-Class Carrier for the First Time: USS John F. Kennedy"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color .15s}\r\n.mfsh-trigger:hover,.mfsh-trigger:focus-visible{background:#0F1720;color:#fff;outline:none}\r\n.mfsh-trigger svg{width:18px;height:18px;display:block;flex-shrink:0}\r\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-bottom{margin:8px 0 28px}\r\n.mfsh-meta{position:relative;padding-right:190px}\r\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta{position:absolute;right:0;bottom:0;margin:0;height:30px;padding:0 8.9px;font-size:13px}\r\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta 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On 13 October 2026, an F-35C from the \"Salty Dogs\" of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) caught a wire on the future USS <em>John F. Kennedy<\/em> (CVN 79) in the Western Atlantic. The next day, the same team flew the first F-35C catapult launch from a Ford-class deck.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It sounds like a formality. It is not. The first ship of the class, USS <em>Gerald R. Ford<\/em>, entered service in 2017 without being able to operate the F-35C at all, and it still deploys with Super Hornets. <em>Kennedy<\/em> is the first Ford-class carrier built from the start to take the Navy's fifth-generation jet.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0 28px;font-size:15px;line-height:1.7\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px\"><li><strong>First arrested landing:<\/strong> 13 October 2026, Western Atlantic<\/li><li><strong>First catapult launch:<\/strong> 14 October 2026<\/li><li><strong>Ship:<\/strong> Future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), second Ford-class carrier<\/li><li><strong>Squadron:<\/strong> VX-23 \"Salty Dogs\", NAS Patuxent River<\/li><li><strong>Test:<\/strong> Aircraft Compatibility Testing (ACT)<\/li><li><strong>Recovery and launch systems:<\/strong> Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and EMALS<\/li><li><strong>Preliminary acceptance:<\/strong> 29 September 2026<\/li><li><strong>Formal delivery:<\/strong> Planned for spring 2027<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Two Jets, One Wire, One Catapult<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two VX-23 test pilots flew F-35Cs out to the ship on 13 October as part of its Aircraft Compatibility Testing. As TWZ noted, the imagery shows two jets, side numbers 401 and 403, but only one trapped that day; the other was carrying inert JDAM bombs. The F-35 Integrated Test Force from Naval Air Station Patuxent River had detached a team to the ship with a specially instrumented aircraft.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/f-35c-approach-john-f-kennedy-cvn-79-silhouette.jpg\" alt=\"F-35C approaching the future USS John F. Kennedy at sunset\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An F-35C on approach with the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) below, 13 October 2026. U.S. Navy photo by MC Seaman Kaitlyn Bailey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 14 October the ship's electromagnetic catapult, EMALS, put an F-35C back into the air. That second step matters as much as the first: a carrier that can recover a jet but not launch it is a very expensive runway. The Navy's own photo caption was unambiguous about what had happened.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><em>&ldquo;A U.S. Navy F-35C Lightning II, attached to the &ldquo;Salty Dogs&rdquo; of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, is launched on the flight deck aboard PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), marking the first F-35C launch on a Ford-class aircraft carrier&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>U.S. Navy<\/strong> &mdash; official caption, PCU John F. Kennedy First F-35C Launch, 14 October 2026<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Why Kennedy, Not Ford<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Gerald R. Ford<\/em> was designed before the F-35C's full shipboard requirements were settled, and the Navy deferred those changes to a later maintenance period. The jet needs tougher jet blast deflectors, secure spaces for its mission systems and classified data, different maintenance and IT facilities, and workshops for its low-observable coatings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After pressure from Congress, the Navy switched <em>Kennedy<\/em> to a single-phase delivery, building the F-35C modifications in during construction instead of bolting them on after commissioning. The carrier completed acceptance trials in August, the Navy took preliminary acceptance from Newport News Shipbuilding on 29 September, and formal delivery is planned for spring 2027.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/10\/f-35c-first-launch-ford-class-john-f-kennedy-emals.jpg\" alt=\"First F-35C catapult launch from a Ford-class carrier\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">The first F-35C launch from a Ford-class carrier, aboard the future USS John F. Kennedy on 14 October 2026. U.S. Navy photo by MC Seaman Kaitlyn Bailey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">What Comes Next<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One trap and one launch prove compatibility, not readiness. Aircraft Compatibility Testing runs the ship's launch and recovery systems through their paces with each aircraft type, at different weights and wind conditions, before an operational air wing ever embarks. The Ford class has had well-documented trouble with both EMALS and the Advanced Arresting Gear, so the data from these sorties will be studied closely.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The F-35C itself is long past the test stage. It first trapped aboard USS <em>Nimitz<\/em> on 3 November 2014 and has since deployed on Nimitz-class carriers. Now the newest carrier in the fleet can finally take it too.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 6px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GGe3CuMTlgc\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">USNI News footage of the F-35Cs approaching for the first landing aboard the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Sources: U.S. Navy \/ DVIDS; TWZ; Naval News; Naval Today; Defence Industry Europe; USNI News<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>When did an F-35C first land on a Ford-class aircraft carrier?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">An F-35C from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 made the first arrested landing on a Ford-class carrier on 13 October 2026, aboard the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) in the Western Atlantic. The first F-35C catapult launch from a Ford-class carrier followed on 14 October 2026.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why couldn't USS Gerald R. Ford operate the F-35C?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">USS Gerald R. Ford was designed before the F-35C's shipboard requirements were fully settled, and the Navy deferred the needed changes, such as stronger jet blast deflectors, secure mission-data spaces and low-observable maintenance workshops, to a later maintenance period. Ford has deployed with Super Hornets instead.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What is Aircraft Compatibility Testing on a carrier?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Aircraft Compatibility Testing checks how a carrier's launch and recovery equipment, such as the EMALS catapult and Advanced Arresting Gear, works with each aircraft type the Navy flies. It is done before an operational air wing embarks.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Which squadron flew the first F-35C landing on USS John F. Kennedy?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The first F-35C landing aboard the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) was flown by the \"Salty Dogs\" of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23), based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When will USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) be delivered?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The Navy took preliminary acceptance of the future USS John F. Kennedy from Newport News Shipbuilding on 29 September 2026, after acceptance trials in August. Formal delivery is planned for spring 2027.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When did the F-35C first land on an aircraft carrier?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The F-35C made its first arrested landing aboard the Nimitz-class carrier USS Nimitz on 3 November 2014, off San Diego. It has since deployed aboard Nimitz-class carriers.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When did an F-35C first land on a Ford-class aircraft carrier?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"An F-35C from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 made the first arrested landing on a Ford-class carrier on 13 October 2026, aboard the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) in the Western Atlantic. The first F-35C catapult launch from a Ford-class carrier followed on 14 October 2026.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why couldn't USS Gerald R. Ford operate the F-35C?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"USS Gerald R. 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It has since deployed aboard Nimitz-class carriers.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/uss-john-f-kennedy-cvn-79-acceptance-trials-2026\/\">America's Newest Supercarrier Heads Out for Its Final Exam<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/emals-aag-aircraft-carrier-technology-revolution-ford-class\/\">EMALS, AAG, and the Catapult That Reinvented the Aircraft Carrier<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/bolter-aircraft-carrier-missed-arresting-wire-explained\/\">Bolter: What Happens When a Carrier Jet Misses Every Wire<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/vmfa-115-silver-eagles-f-35c-first-flight-reactivation-2026\/\">The Silver Eagles Come Back for the Carrier<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VX-23 made the first F-35C arrested landing on a Ford-class carrier aboard the future USS John F. Kennedy on 13 October 2026, and the first EMALS launch a day later.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":28116046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28116230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>F-35C Lands on USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The F-35C has made its first arrested landing and catapult launch on a Ford-class carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy. 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