The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s biggest aircraft carrier, has finally returned back to the United States after a prolonged 326-day deployment, the Pentagon said.
This was the longest deployment undertaken by the carrier since its commissioning, and the longest by any US aircraft carrier in the last 50 years.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand in Norfolk, Virginia, to welcome home the largest aircraft carrier in the world, the US military said on X.
Secretary Hegseth told returning sailors: “You didn’t just accomplish a mission, you made history. You made a nation proud.” He also highlighted the personal sacrifices, noting that 76 babies were born to families during the deployment
The deployment began as a planned European or Mediterranean rotation with Carrier Strike Group 12, but, unexpectedly, evolved into multi-theatre operations. Since it set sail for its planned deployment, the carrier has been redirected twice, answering the call of duty in the Caribbean and then in the Middle East.
The USS Gerald R. Ford started its voyage on June 24, 2025, from its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. In the initial days of its deployment, the carrier crossed the Atlantic and entered the Mediterranean, participating in NATO exercises, including Neptune Strike, in the Adriatic and the central Mediterranean. After that, it sailed on, operating in the North Sea and conducting exercises in the Arctic.
However, by the fall of last year, the US military had begun a massive military buildup in the Caribbean amid escalating tensions with Venezuela. In October 2025, the Pentagon announced the deployment of USS Gerald R Ford carrier strike group (CSG) to the US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) to combat drug-trafficking cartels near Venezuela.
Notably, the USS Ford’s initial deployment was expected to end in the last week of December 2025; it continued to support the extraction of then-serving Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a special US military raid in early January 2026.
When Maduro was flown out, the crew of the Ford carrier may have heaved a sigh of relief, expecting to be home by early March 2026. However, the newfound relief didn’t last long.
After achieving the main milestone in “Operation Southern Spear” in the Caribbean, the Pentagon ordered a major military buildup in the Middle East in February 2026. Subsequently, the USS Gerald R. Ford was redirected again—this time to the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
The USS Gerald. R. Ford joined another carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, in this new theatre.
However, even before the US launched “Operation Epic Fury,” the crew of the USS Ford was forced to deal with an internal battle: clogged toilets and a breakdown in the sewage system due to gaps in maintenance. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, most of the 650 toilets on the warship were dysfunctional at the time, and sailors had to queue for 45 minutes to use them every single day. All of this was attributed to inadequate maintenance due to the unprecedented deployment.
Besides being deployed amid the Iran war, the carrier was dealing with internal woes, all stemming from the endless deployment. On March 12, 2026, a serious fire broke out in the main laundry and berthing areas while the carrier was operating in the Red Sea. According to reports, the carrier burned for over 30 hours, injured two sailors, and destroyed nearly all berths.
Despite the extended duration, the crew delivered exceptional results: it sailed over 57,713 nautical miles, conducted 23 replenishments at sea, Carrier Air Wing 8 logged more than 5,760 flight hours and over 12,200 flight launches, and it operated with more than 15 allies. The carrier strike group received the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in Operation Epic Fury, recognizing “outstanding warfighting prosecution while engaged in sustained combat operations against a determined enemy.”
The USS Ford and accompanying warships — USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) and USS Mahan (DDG-72) — will now enter an extensive maintenance period. The extended deployment has already prompted internal discussions about future carrier deployment and force sustainment.
- By ET Online Desk
- Mail us at: editor (at) eurasiantimes.com
