USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) first F-35C Ford-class aircraft carrier Salty Dogs VX23 October 2026 a
An F-35 test pilot from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23), Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), flies an F-35C Lightning II fighter aircraft to the PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) in the Western Atlantic Oct. 13, 2026. This is the first time an F-35C has landed on a Ford-class aircraft carrier. A Patuxent River F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) team detached to the ship is conducting Aircraft Compatibility Testing (ACT) with the specially instrumented carrier variant of the stea