President Biden on Monday announced that two future U.S. aircraft carriers will be named after two men who preceded him into the White House: Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush Jr. Mr. Bush and his late father, President George H.W. Bush, will become the first father and son to have aircraft carriers named after them.

The USS William J. Clinton and the USS George W. Bush will ensure that the U.S. can project power and deliver combat capability in defense of American allies and interests around the world, officials said.

“When I personally delivered the news to Bill and George, they were deeply humbled,” Mr. Biden said Monday in a statement. “… Both know well our duty to support the families and loved ones who wait and worry for the safe return of their service member.”

The USS Clinton and the USS Bush will be nuclear-powered Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers that are meant to replace the Nimitz class of vessels built between 1968 and 2006. They will follow the USS John F. Kennedy, the USS Enterprise and the USS Doris Miller now under construction for the U.S. Navy.

“Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s naval forces,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. “Like their namesakes, these two future carriers, and the crews who sail them, will work to safeguard our national security, remind us of our history, and inspire others to serve our great republic.”

The USS George H.W. Bush was the final Nimitz-class supercarrier added to the U.S. Navy fleet. It was completed in 2009 and is based in Norfolk, Virginia.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.