The Pentagon announced that the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which set sail for the Middle East prior to the outbreak of the war with Iran, returned to the United States on Saturday after a 326-day deployment.
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The U.S. military stated on the X platform that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was present in Norfolk, Virginia, to welcome back the world's largest aircraft carrier.
This deployment marks the longest for a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group since the Vietnam War.
During its deployment, the Gerald R. Ford strike group participated in operations in the Caribbean, where the U.S. military conducts strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels. It was also involved in intercepting sanctioned oil tankers and capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
The carrier was subsequently dispatched to the Middle East to participate in combat operations against Iran.
The aircraft carrier's extended deployment included a laundry room fire on March 12, which injured two sailors and caused severe damage to approximately 100 berths, according to the U.S. military.
Reports also indicated that the carrier suffered significant issues with its toilet and plumbing systems while at sea.
Source: AFP
