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USS Gerald R Ford to return to Virginia after 300-day Middle East deployment
The USS Gerald R Ford is expected to depart the Middle East soon and return to its Virginia home port in mid-May, US officials said. The deployment exceeded 300 days and coincided with operations linked to the Iran war. Its presence also marked a period when three US aircraft carriers operated in the region.
US officials said the USS Gerald R Ford was set to leave the Middle East soon. The aircraft carrier was due back at its Virginia home port in mid-May. The officials spoke anonymously because the movements were sensitive. The Washington Post reported the plan earlier.
The Ford was returning after more than 300 days away on a long deployment. US Naval Institute News data showed the ship set a post-Vietnam War record. The carrier passed 295 days at sea this month. That beat the 294-day mark set by USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020.
USS Gerald R Ford deployment record and Middle East carriers
The USS George H W Bush arrived in the region last week, officials said. That raised the total to three US aircraft carriers in the Middle East. Such a number was not seen since 2003. The carriers operated during a tense ceasefire in the Iran war.
USS Abraham Lincoln had been in the region since January, officials said. The move came as tensions with Tehran increased. The Ford’s departure was expected in the coming days. Its return would reduce the carrier count in the area.
USS Gerald R Ford mission timeline from Mediterranean to Red Sea
The Ford left Naval Station Norfolk in June for the Mediterranean Sea. In October, it was redirected to the Caribbean Sea. That shift was part of the largest naval build-up there in generations. The carrier then joined the operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
After the Caribbean tasking, the carrier moved toward the Middle East as tensions rose. The Ford joined the opening days of the Iran war from the Mediterranean Sea. It then transited the Suez Canal. The ship entered the Red Sea in early March.
USS Gerald R Ford fire, repairs, and crew impact
A fire broke out in one of the ship’s laundry spaces. The incident forced the Ford to turn back to the Mediterranean Sea. The carrier needed repairs that took time, officials said. The disruption left hundreds of sailors without places to sleep.
The extended deployment also raised questions about strain on people and equipment. The Ford’s long time away increased pressure on the ship’s systems. The carrier had already faced the fire and repair work. Observers also questioned the effect on service members’ time at home.
USS Gerald R Ford readiness and maintenance tradeoffs
At a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the extension. Hegseth said Navy officials flagged readiness and maintenance tradeoffs. "Multiple times the operational requirements - whether it was down in Southcom or up to Centcom - demanded additional assets in real time, which through a tough decision-making process led to an extension,\" Hegseth said.
The Ford’s 295-day stretch remained below some older marks. The now-decommissioned USS Midway held a Cold War record of 332 days in 1972 and 1973. USS Nimitz had 341 days away in 2020 and 2021. That included isolation periods ashore in the US for COVID-19 control.
With inputs from PTI
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