U.S. Navy to christen newest aircraft carrier

The U.S. Navy announced on Wednesday that it will christen its newest aircraft carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), on Saturday.

A ceremony will be held then at Newport News, state of Virginia, according to the U.S. Navy.

John F. Kennedy is the second aircraft carrier of the Gerald R. Ford class, slated to replace USS Nimitz (CVN 68), when that ship is decommissioned.

At 1,092 feet in length and 100,000 tons, CVN 79 incorporates a series of new technologies, comprising advances in propulsion, power generation, ordnance handling and aircraft launch systems, the U.S. Navy said.