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Key Points: The U.S. Navy is set to field two warships named after the Kennedy brothers. The USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), the second Gerald R. Ford-class supercarrier, faces delivery delays but continues to progress under new leadership.

-Meanwhile, the USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO-208), a John Lewis-class replenishment oiler, has been delivered, enhancing the Navy’s logistics capabilities.

-Fleet replenishment oilers like the USNS Robert F. Kennedy ensure carrier strike groups remain operational for extended missions.

-Additional oilers under construction, including future vessels like USNS Harriet Tubman, promise to strengthen the Navy’s capacity to sustain global operations.

The U.S. Navy Will Have Two “Kennedy” Warships

The United States Navy’s second Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered supercarrier – the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) – was originally contracted for a 2018 delivery date, which was pushed back by two years, before slipping again. At this point, the Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) warship, also the second carrier to be named for the late president, won’t be delivered to the U.S. Navy until at least July of next year.

In September, PCU John F. Kennedy saw a change of command, as Captain Colin P. Day retired from the Navy after 28 years of active service. As the warship’s commanding officer he never was able to take the still-under-construction warship to sea, but oversaw the delivery and installation of numerous ship-wide systems that will ensure it is a capable warship while others will enhance the future crews’ quality of life.

Capt. Douglas M. Langenberg is now the third commanding officer and will oversee the efforts to complete the Gerald R. Ford-class supercarrier and delivery to the Navy.

The USNS Robert F. Kennedy Has Been Delivered

When USS John F. Kennedy finally is accepted by the sea service, it will join a fleet that will also operate a vessel named for President Kennedy’s brother, the late Attorney General and later Senator Robert F. Kennedy – who was assassinated during his famed 1968 presidential run.

This week, the U.S. Navy announced it had accepted delivery of the John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler USNS Robert F. Kennedy (T-AO-208). The vessel had recently concluded its “Integrated Sea Trials,” which ensured the ship’s “readiness and capabilities.”

“This delivery is a significant milestone as we bring another oiler to our fleet and increase our replenishment underway capabilities,” said John Lighthammer, program manager, Auxiliary and Special Mission Ships, Program Executive Office, Ships (PEO Ships). “This is the final stepping stone in getting this essential ship to our civilian mariners in need of its tools.”

The Unsung Workhorses of the Navy

Though not surface combatants, fleet replenishment oilers can accurately be described as the unsung heroes of the fleet. These vessels are what allow the U.S. Navy’s carrier strike groups (CSG) to spend months at sea – and are essentially a delivery service of food, fuel, and other supplies.

This was highlighted in October, when the Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler USNS Big Horn (T-AO-198) ran aground and partially flooded off Oman, exposing the Navy’s “Achilles Heel.” There were concerns that the incident could have impacted operations for the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which was deployed to the region to counter Houthi aggression.

Currently, the U.S. Navy doesn’t have enough of the vessels in service – but help is on the way.

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) underway on its own power for the first time. The first-of-class ship — the first new U.S. aircraft carrier design in 40 years — spent several days conducting builder’s sea trials, a comprehensive test of many of the ship’s key systems and technologies.

According to Naval Sea Systems Command, which is described as the force behind the fleet, shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO is manufacturing the T-AOs USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209), USNS Sojourner Truth (T-AO 210), USNS Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211), and USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212).

“The future USNS Harriet Tubman (T-AO 213) and USNS Dolores Huerta (T-AO 214) are under contract. Additionally, a Block Buy contract was issued in September 2024 for the detailed design and construction of T-AO 214-221,” NAVSEA explained.

In the years to come it’s likely USNS Robert F. Kennedy and ships like it will ensure USS John F. Kennedy can accomplish its mission during long deployments.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Senior Editor focusing on defense issues for 19FortyFive. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,500 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on X: @PeterSuciu – and on Bluesky: @petersuciu.bsky.social.