I'm John Bachelor. I welcome Gordon Chang at Gordon G. Chang, my colleague and co-hosts, and we're dependent upon and

very thankful to Rebecca Grant, the Vice President of the Lexington Institute, to help us understand

the U.S. Navy's preparation for the balance of the 21st century. The concern here is that the Chinese Navy yards are turning out craft at an enormously

accelerated rate, and the U.S. Navy has limitations of transparency, of Congress, of money,

of demands by the other services.

And so, therefore, it's always important to celebrate something where the Navy has gotten

through all of those can-we moments.

And we turn to the revelation of the CBN-79, the second carrier named for the late

President, John F. Kennedy.

But this one is Ford class. That all has

significant meaning. Meaning, I count on Rebecca to explain. Rebecca, a very good day to you.

This is a Ford class carrier. It's very big. Might even be the biggest thing afloat that can

fight. What is a Ford class? What is the John F. Kennedy, CBN 79, and when is it ready to

deploy to secure the Pacific? Good evening to you. Yes, the CBN 79 has left her birth, where she was

built down in Newport News. The second of the Ford class carriers. You're right, John, that is the

biggest warship afloat.

It's a very modernized carrier with increased electric power. Of course, it's nuclear powered for its

propulsion, giving it unlimited range and endurance. CBN79 is out on sea trials. That means she's

sailing with a minimal crew in order to check out all her systems.

No airing aboard because she's not deployed her on exercises. But it is great to finally see

the second of the new Ford class carriers underway and getting ready to join the fleet at last.

Gordon, you have a question for Rebecca.

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