The carrier had been scheduled for a March 2016 commissioning originally, but technological problems with the advanced arresting gear and other first-in-class issues slowed delivery by a year and a half. The carrier is expected to be operational in 2020 following achievement of initial operational capability.

NORFOLK (April 14, 2017) The future USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) arrives at Naval Station Norfolk and approaches its berth next to the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), left, and USS George Washington (CVN 73) after returning from Builder's Sea Trials and seven days underway. During this initial at-sea period, Ford's crew, representatives from Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding, the Navy's CVN 78 Program Office, the Navy's Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair and various technical subject matter experts demonstrated many of the ship's key systems.