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2mo ago

USS Gerald R. Ford Sets Modern Record for Longest Carrier Deployment

Navy leaders now expect an 11‑month tour, a sign of tight carrier supply, delayed relief routing via Africa, and rising strain on maintenance and morale.

The world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrives at Souda Bay naval base after having been part of Middle East war operations, on the island of Crete on March 23, 2026. The United States and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran in late February following a major US military buildup in the Middle East that included the Ford and another aircraft carrier, the Abraham Lincoln. (Photo by Costas METAXAKIS / AFP)
FILE - The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier leaves Naval Station Norfolk, June 23, 2025, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/John Clark, File)
(Oct. 29, 2019) USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) conducts high-speed turns in the Atlantic Ocean. Ford is at sea conducting sea trials following the in port portion of its 15 month post-shakedown availability. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Connor Loessin)
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Overview

  • The carrier broke the post‑Vietnam record on Wednesday after surpassing USS Abraham Lincoln’s 295‑day cruise, marking the longest modern U.S. carrier deployment.
  • The mission began in June 2025 from Norfolk, shifted to the Caribbean for Venezuela‑related operations including the Maduro capture raid, then moved to the Middle East for the opening phase of the Iran war.
  • A March 12 fire in the main laundry space injured three sailors, displaced about 600 from berthing, and led to repairs and resupply in Crete and Split before the ship resumed operations in early April.
  • USS George H. W. Bush is routing around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, delaying a direct handover and keeping Ford operating in the Eastern Mediterranean with an expected deployment of about 11 months.
  • Extended time at sea has stressed sailors and systems, with reported sewage‑vacuum clogs requiring frequent acid flushes and Virginia senators seeking details on how deferred work will affect the ship’s maintenance schedule.