The next two Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered supercarriers will honor two recent former United States presidents­—namely Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

"I am proud to announce that the next two Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers will be named for two former presidents: Bill Clinton and George W. Bush," President Joe Biden said in a statement on Monday.

"When I personally delivered the news to Bill and George, they were deeply humbled," Biden added. "Each knows firsthand the weight of the responsibilities that come with being Commander-in-Chief. And both know well our duty to support the families and loved ones who wait and worry for the safe return of their servicemember."

The future USS William J. Clinton (CVN-82) and USS George W. Bush (CVN-83) will be the fifth and sixth vessels respectively of the Gerald R. Ford class, and will each replace an aging Nimitz-class supercarrier as they enter service.

CVN-82 and CVN-83 will follow the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), which is now being fitted out and is set to be commissioned later this year­, while the future USS Enterprise (CVN-80) is now under construction and the current timeline calls for the vessel to be launched in November with a commissioning scheduled for 2029. CVN-80 will replace the second Nimitz-class carrier, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69).

This trend will continue on a one-for-one basis over the coming decades.

The future USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) will be the second vessel to honor the U.S. Navy's messman second class, who received the Navy Cross for his actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It will be the first United States Navy aircraft carrier to honor an enlisted sailor. The future flattop is under construction, with a scheduled launch in 2029 and 2032 commissioning. When CVN-81 enters service, it will replace USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70).

Future Sponsors­, Former First Daughters

According to a report from Military.com, in a private White House ceremony earlier this year, outgoing Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that "the sponsor for the future USS William J. Clinton will be Clinton's daughter, Chelsea Clinton."

Though not officially announced, it is likely that former President George W. Bush's twin daughters Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager will be the sponsors of the future CVN-83.

Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of President John F. Kennedy, is also the sponsor of CVN-79.

Presidential Swaps

Though not stated by the White House, the future USS William J. Clinton­—set for a 2036 commissioning—­will replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), and the future USS George W. Bush would almost certainly replace the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). Whether the "presidential swap" was considered by President Biden is unclear, but it could be seen as a controversial choice.

Carriers named for two highly popular former presidents, each of whom is honored on Mt. Rushmore, will be replaced by the more recent commanders-in-chief.

Of course, the naming of warships, and especially aircraft carriers­, ­hasn't been without controversy. The choice of name for the seventh Nimitz-class carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) continues to be a point of contention, given the late senator's criticism of civil rights and racial equality.

On the flip side of the coin, even as the Gerald R. Ford class program has come under the spotlight for its high costs and delays, the naming of CVN-81 for an African-American hero may have made it "untouchable"—­at least when it comes to calls for the program to be scaled back. While the program continues to receive criticism, the future vessels are now receiving names, which could be a sign that the sea service will go all in.

Every former president from Franklin D. Roosevelt through George W. Bush, ­with the exception of Richard Nixon­, will now have been honored with a warship to bear their name.

Two Bushes and a Clinton

While it won't be until around 2040 at the earliest that CVN-82 and CVN-83 are both in service, there may be at least a not-so-brief period where the U.S. Navy operates three carriers named for presidents who served in a row, ­including two named "Bush." As the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) was the tenth and final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to be commissioned, it is expected to remain operational until around 2060 or later.

Of course, any chance of the father-son namesake carriers serving together is simply decades away. But if they do, it is clear the current president has faith in those who will serve onboard.

"When complete, they will join the most capable, flexible, and professional Navy that has ever put to sea," said Biden in his statement. "They will be crewed by Sailors who hail from every corner of the United States, and who will sail these ships into harm's way, defending our interests overseas and our safety here at home."

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Image: Wikimedia Commons.