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USS Gerald R. Ford Breaks Post–Cold War Carrier Deployment Record

Relief forces are routed around Africa, extending the carrier’s time in the Mediterranean.

(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)
The Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transit the Atlantic Ocean June 4, 2020, marking the first time a Ford-class and a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier have operated together underway. Ford is underway conducting integrated air wing operations, and the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group remains at sea in the Atlantic as a certified carrier strike group force ready for tasking in order to protect the crew from the risks posed by COVID-19, following their successful Day 295. The Ford's crew has been at sea since June. The Vietnam-era record is next. A laundry fire forced repairs in Crete and Croatia. Reports say 12-14 months to fix. In 1942, the Yorktown was repaired in 3 days after a 551-pound bomb plunged 50 feet into the ship. Admiral Nimitz demanded it. They delivered.
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Overview

  • The carrier, which set the new mark on Wednesday, is operating in the Eastern Mediterranean after repair stops in Crete and Croatia.
  • Ford left Norfolk on June 24, 2025 for Europe, shifted to the Caribbean in October for operations tied to Venezuela, and in February moved to the Middle East and the Red Sea.
  • A March 12 laundry-room fire injured three sailors and displaced about 600, leading to repairs in Souda Bay and Split before the ship resumed operations on April 3.
  • USS George H. W. Bush, expected to relieve Ford, is sailing along Africa to avoid Red Sea threats, which has delayed a handoff and could extend Ford’s deployment into an 11th month, according to Navy leaders.
  • The longer cruise has raised maintenance concerns, with Virginia senators seeking details on shipyard impacts as the Navy adjusts Ford’s repair schedule to account for the extension.