The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has concluded its record-breaking 309-day deployment in the Middle East and will leave the region in coming days, returning to U.S. waters near Virginia by mid-May.
The vessel entered the Red Sea on April 18 following repairs and was escorted by destroyers Winston S. Churchill and Mahan before operating in the Mediterranean off the coast of the Middle East. The Ford’s extended mission has reportedly impacted its operational condition due to an unprecedented duration at sea.
On March 12, a fire incident injured two personnel, with the cause determined to be an issue in the ship’s main laundry room.
This departure is expected to result in a significant loss of U.S. military capability in the Middle East region.
