Navy says Ford has left Newport News, will start sea trials

The Navy announced today the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford (CVN-78) has completed its 15-month maintenance availability and will begin sea trials.

"While at sea off the Virginia coast, the crew, in cooperation with [Newport News Shipbuilding] engineers and shipyard employees, will run through a comprehensive sequence of evolutions to test and validate systems maintained or modified during the extended maintenance period," according to the Navy statement.

The first-in-class ship's maintenance period has faced delays and intense congressional scrutiny. This week Navy Secretary Richard Spencer defended the service's work on the Ford, one day after a House lawmaker had a tense exchange with the service's top officer overseeing ship maintenance and construction.