USS Gerald R. Ford Heads to Middle East
The Pentagon has redirected the USS Gerald R. Ford from the Caribbean to the Middle East, extending its deployment until late spring 2026. Joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, the Ford’s arrival marks a significant surge in U.S. naval power as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Iran.
The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships, currently deployed in the Caribbean Sea, are being sent to the Middle East, the New York Times reported.
The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is the largest aircraft carrier in the world and the heaviest warship ever built. It is the lead ship of the Ford-class, which was specifically designed to be larger and more advanced than the previous Nimitz-class carriers (which top out at about 100,000 tons).
The move will place two U.S. carrier strike groups in the region at the same time, with the Ford joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been operating in the Arabian Sea since late January.
Sailors aboard the Ford were originally scheduled to return to their home port in Norfolk, Virginia, in early March after a deployment that began in June 2025. That timeline has now been extended, with the carrier and its escorts not expected back until late April or early May.
The Pentagon has not issued a public statement on the redeployment. The decision comes amid heightened U.S. military posture in the Middle East as the Trump administration applies pressure on Iran over its nuclear program and ongoing indirect talks.