Ford’s Record Deployment Strains Crew, Senator Says
AP Photo/John Clark, File
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, has set a new U.S. Navy record for the longest aircraft carrier deployment since the Vietnam War. On Wednesday, the ship reached about 295 days at sea, passing the previous record of 294 days set in 2020 by the USS Abraham Lincoln during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nearly ten-month deployment has drawn attention because of the pressure it places on both the crew and the ship itself. Sailors have spent long periods away from their families, and the carrier has already dealt with technical problems during the mission. Earlier in the deployment, a fire broke out on board, injuring three sailors and forcing repairs. Hundreds of crew members were temporarily left without sleeping spaces, and the Navy has shared very little information about what caused the incident.
The Gerald R. Ford left its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, in June 2025 and was originally sent to the Mediterranean Sea. In October, the military redirected the ship to the Caribbean as part of the largest buildup of U.S. naval forces in the region in decades. While there, the carrier supported the military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
After that mission, the carrier was sent back toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated. The Ford participated in the early phase of the war with Iran while operating in the Mediterranean. In early March, the ship passed through the Suez Canal and moved into the Red Sea to continue its operations.
The long deployment has raised concerns among some lawmakers. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine said the extended mission has taken a serious toll on the mental health and well-being of the sailors serving on the ship. In a statement, he said they should be home with their families rather than being sent around the world by President Trump, whom he accused of treating the U.S. military like a palace guard.
Pentagon officials have not confirmed exactly when the carrier will return home, but the Navy’s top leaders have said they expect the deployment to last about 11 months. That timeline would place the Ford’s return to Norfolk sometime in late May.
Even with the new record, the deployment is still shorter than the longest aircraft carrier mission in U.S. history. During the Cold War, the USS Midway remained deployed for 332 days between 1972 and 1973.
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