U.S. Orders USS Gerald R. Ford to the Gulf to Reinforce Carrier Power Against Iran

Overview

• The Ford strike group has been told to depart the Caribbean to join the USS Abraham Lincoln near Iran, with crews notified of the deployment.
• U.S. military planners are preparing for potential operations lasting weeks and anticipate Iranian retaliation, according to American officials.
• The carrier brings substantial added strike and surveillance capacity with dozens of embarked combat and reconnaissance aircraft.
• President Trump warned of a tougher "phase two" if negotiations fail and said a change of regime in Iran "would be the best thing that could happen."
• Officials expect the Ford to return to its Norfolk homeport in late April or early May, as fragile diplomacy continues following indirect talks in Oman.