New Ford-class USS John F. Kennedy CVN 79 Validates Flight Deck with First MH-60S Helicopter Landing.

An MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter from HSC-7 successfully landed on the future USS John F. Kennedy during Builder’s Trials at sea on January 28, 2026. The landing marks the first operational validation of the carrier’s flight deck and a key step toward commissioning the Navy’s second Ford-class supercarrier.

The future U.S. Navy USS John F. Kennedy, CVN 79, reached a pivotal milestone on January 28, 2026, when an MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter assigned to the “Dusty Dogs” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 7 successfully landed on its flight deck during Builder’s Trials at sea, according to video footage shared on X. The landing represents the first real-world aviation evolution conducted aboard the second Ford-class aircraft carrier under open-water conditions. While helicopters routinely support carrier qualification events, this touchdown confirms the readiness of Kennedy’s deck systems, lighting, and flight control procedures outside the controlled environment of the shipyard.
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MH-60S Knighthawk from HSC-7 “Dusty Dogs” lands on the flight deck of Pre-Commissioning Unit USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) during Builder’s Trials, January 28, 2026, marking the first aircraft touchdown on the Navy’s second Ford-class aircraft carrier. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

The landing took place as Pre-Commissioning Unit John F. Kennedy conducted Builder’s Trials off the U.S. East Coast, a critical testing phase led by Huntington Ingalls Industries in coordination with the Navy’s Supervisor of Shipbuilding. While Builder’s Trials traditionally focus on propulsion, steering, auxiliary systems, and core ship performance, the introduction of live aviation operations signals that CVN 79 is progressing into integrated warship validation.

The helicopter involved belongs to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 7, better known across the fleet as the “Dusty Dogs.” Based at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, HSC-7 operates the Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk and forms part of Carrier Air Wing 3. The squadron normally deploys aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and other air-capable ships, delivering a broad portfolio of missions, including search and rescue, anti-surface warfare, personnel recovery, Naval Special Warfare support, combat logistics, antiterrorism force protection, vertical replenishment, and medical evacuation. Their participation in CVN 79’s trials underscores the Navy’s reliance on rotary-wing aviation as an indispensable element of carrier strike group operations.

Technically, the MH-60S Knighthawk is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines, each producing approximately 1,900 shaft horsepower. The aircraft can reach speeds near 180 knots and operate at extended ranges depending on payload and configuration. In strike group operations, the platform serves as both a logistics lifeline and a tactical enabler, capable of transporting cargo between ships, inserting special operations personnel, conducting armed overwatch with crew-served weapons, and performing rapid-response recovery missions in contested environments.

Although the MH-60S does not require catapult launch or arresting gear recovery, its landing on CVN 79 validates critical components of the carrier’s aviation ecosystem. Deck lighting, aircraft securing systems, communications networks, fueling infrastructure, and digital flight deck control architecture were all exercised during the evolution. The Ford-class design incorporates a redesigned island positioned further aft and a reconfigured deck layout intended to increase sortie generation efficiency compared to Nimitz-class carriers. Every successful deck evolution helps validate this new operational geometry.

USS John F. Kennedy incorporates lessons learned from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), particularly regarding reliability improvements to the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Arresting Gear. While fixed-wing trials involving F-35C Lightning II and F/A-18E-F Super Hornet aircraft will ultimately determine the performance of EMALS and AAG under combat-representative loads, the helicopter landing marks the beginning of progressive aviation certification.

At the strategic level, CVN 79 is powered by two Bechtel A1B nuclear reactors, which generate significantly more electrical output than the A4W reactors used on Nimitz-class ships. This expanded power capacity supports advanced sensors, electromagnetic launch systems, and potential future integration of high-energy weapons. The carrier is also designed with increased automation and a reduced crew requirement, a move expected to lower lifecycle operating costs over its projected 50-year service life.

For HSC-7, the landing reflects the adaptability of a squadron accustomed to operating from established fleet carriers like USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, now contributing to the operational birth of a next-generation supercarrier. The imagery shared on X captures the moment the Knighthawk’s wheels meet Kennedy’s non-skid flight deck surface, a scene that blends routine fleet professionalism with a defining program milestone.

As Builder’s Trials continue, additional sea periods will further stress propulsion systems, radar suites, aircraft elevators, and combat support infrastructure before Navy acceptance trials. Yet in the lifecycle of every aircraft carrier, the first landing carries symbolic and operational weight. With the “Dusty Dogs” now etched into the early testing history of CVN 79, USS John F. Kennedy has taken a visible step toward joining the front line of U.S. naval power projection in an increasingly contested maritime environment.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.