The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s lead Ford-class aircraft carrier, has returned to port after a 326-day deployment — the longest for any U.S. carrier since Vietnam. The 4,600-sailor crew fought combat operations in the Middle East and South America under Operation Epic Fury, crossed the Atlantic multiple times, and launched hundreds of sorties. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth awarded the Presidential Unit Citation to Carrier Strike Group 12 — including the USS Ford, USS Bainbridge, and USS Mahan. The deployment exposed serious problems: a March laundry fire that burned for a day, and a commercial-style plumbing system that technicians had to clear of T-shirts and rope.
The USS Gerald R. Ford Made Some Impressive History
The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), conducts flight operations in the North Sea, Aug. 23, 2025. Gerald R. Ford, a first-in-class aircraft carrier and deployed flagship of Carrier Strike Group Twelve, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the warfighting effectiveness, lethality, and readiness of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and defend U.S., Allied and partner interests in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maxwell Orlosky)
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the lead ship of the U.S. Navy’s upcoming class of aircraft carriers, is finally back in port following a record-setting 326-day deployment that saw the ship involved in combat operations in the Middle East and South America.
Though initially slated for a routine deployment to Europe, the USS Ford’s deployment was much longer — and much more demanding — than expected.
Ultimately, the aircraft carrier crossed the Atlantic Ocean multiple times, launched hundreds of aircraft sorties, and, in tandem with its strike group, fired missiles at a variety of land and sea-based targets.
The deployment was, in a few words, a whirlwind — and one that was not without incident for the ship.
A Series of Accidents for USS Gerald R. Ford
In March, a fire tore through the ship’s laundry compartment and burned for hours before the blaze was under control.
It was not immediately clear what exactly caused the blaze, nor why it took over a day for the ship’s sailors to tamp down the fire completely.
The fire may have ripped through a berthing area.
Alternatively, smoke from the blaze might have caused the ship’s berths to become uninhabitable, and likely contributed to the Navy’s decision to strip 1,000 mattresses from another vessel for the USS Ford. It was not the first mishap to befall one of the United States Navy’s newest, most advanced warships, however
In January, NPR reported that the USS Ford’s plumbing system had experienced frequent breakdowns and backups.
The design, new to U.S. Navy warships, is adapted from commercial cruise lines and is intended to reduce water consumption.
But problems with the design have been long known, and frequent issues plagued the system used by the ship’s enormous 4,600-sailor crew, with technicians reportedly removing T-shirts and lengths of rope from a system intended to process human waste.
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 21, 2024) The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), sails in formation with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Kashima-class training ship, JS Kashima (TV-3508), middle, and Hatakaze-class guided missile destroyer JS Shimakaze (TV-3521) while conducting routine operations in the Atlantic Ocean, September 23, 2024. The U.S. Navy and JMSDF continue to train together to improve interoperability and strengthen joint capabilities. For more than 60 years, the U.S.-Japan Alliance has been the corner stone of stability and security and is crucial to the mutual capability of responding to contingencies at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob Mattingly)
Presidential Unit Citation
In a surprise move, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth awarded the crew of the USS Ford, as well as the crews of the USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan — two ships that were part of Carrier Strike Group 12 — the Presidential Unit Citation.
“We do not hand this award out simply for performing your duties. It is earned through extraordinary heroism. It signifies that, in the crucible of combat during Operation Epic Fury, Strike Group 12 unleashed lethality and violence of action that [neutralized enemies] and secured a mission of vital national importance,” Secretary Hegseth said to the crew of the USS Ford.
“To wear this ribbon is to tell the world that everyone in this formation fought with an indomitable spirit. You operate with grit and defiance that sets you apart. By your conduct, you have secured a current place in the hallowed lineage of our naval history,” Hegseth added.
Repairs and Maintenance
Despite the honor from the Secretary of Defense, several questions about the USS Ford’s future remain, namely what needs to be repaired on the aircraft carrier, and how much it will cost.
According to the U.S. Navy’s Optimized Fleet Response Plan, each of the Navy’s carriers, eleven in total, is arranged into 36-month schedules that incorporate training, deployment, sustainment, and maintenance.
Although carriers are intended to deploy for a maximum of seven months, the USS Ford was deployed for 11.
One potential issue could be sourcing available spare parts for the USS Ford.
The world’s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) steams in the Adriatic Sea, June 23, 2023. Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, representing a generational leap in the U.S. Navy’s capacity to project power on a global scale. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins)
While the Navy’s other class of aircraft carriers, the Nimitz-class, has been in service for decades and can leverage a deep supply of consumable components and spare parts, the Ford-class is now represented by a single ship, the USS Ford, and the class has had significantly less time to build spare components for what will eventually replace the older Nimitz-class entirely.
The Navy has asked for $377.5 billion in the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request.
Though that request, if approved, will set a new funding record — the entire FY 2027 budget would total $1.5 trillion — a significant portion of the Navy’s request could well be directed to the USS Ford to the detriment of other U.S. Navy funding priorities.
Into the Future
Though the record-setting deployment might not dampen long-term recruitment, it could be detrimental to the ship’s crew.
Back from what was widely seen as a high-intensity, punishing deployment, Sailors aboard the USS Ford with upcoming resigning opportunities might just ask themselves, “Was that brutal deployment worth it?”
A Presidential Unit Citation is an honor — but will it be enough?
About the Author: Caleb Larson
Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the shifting battle lines in Donbas and writing about the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.
