The world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, is set to return home after a record-setting deployment of more than 300 days. The deployment included participation in the Iran war and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, according to two US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Return to Home Port
The Ford will leave the Middle East in the coming days and return to its home port in Virginia in mid-May. The Washington Post first reported the development. The arrival of the USS George HW Bush in the region last week meant three American aircraft carriers were deployed to the Middle East simultaneously, a number not seen since 2003, during a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war. The USS Abraham Lincoln has also been in the region since January as tensions with Tehran escalated.
Record-Breaking Deployment
This month, the Ford broke the US record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, spanning nearly 10 months after leaving Naval Station Norfolk in June. The ship's 295th day at sea surpassed the previous longest deployment by an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years, when the Lincoln was deployed for 294 days in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, according to data from US Naval Institute News.
The extended deployment has raised concerns about the impact on service members away from home for long periods and the increasing strain on the ship and its equipment. The carrier endured a fire that forced lengthy repairs.
Pentagon's Perspective
During a House Armed Services Committee hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged the tradeoffs. He stated that multiple operational requirements demanded additional assets in real time, leading to an extension through a tough decision-making process.
Deployment Timeline
The Ford began its deployment heading to the Mediterranean Sea. In October, it was rerouted to the Caribbean as part of the largest naval buildup in the region in generations. The carrier took part in the military operation to capture Maduro. Subsequently, it headed toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated, participating in the opening days of the Iran war from the Mediterranean before transiting the Suez Canal into the Red Sea in early March.
However, a fire in one of its laundry spaces forced the carrier to return to the Mediterranean for repairs, leaving hundreds of sailors without sleeping quarters.
Historical Context
The Ford's 295-day deployment falls short of the longest deployment during the Cold War, held by the now-decommissioned USS Midway, which was deployed for 332 days in 1972 and 1973.
