USS Gerald R. Ford returns to sea after brief stop in Croatia
Military Times • • nation
Key Points:
- The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier returned to sea after a five-day port call in Split, Croatia, following a brief visit to Naval Support Activity Souda Bay in Crete amid ongoing maintenance challenges.
- The carrier has faced multiple issues, including a non-combat fire in the laundry room on March 12 that injured sailors and damaged sleeping quarters, as well as persistent plumbing problems affecting its 650 toilets.
- Despite these setbacks, the Navy stated the Ford remains ready for full mission tasking in support of national objectives, though it was not specified if it will resume combat operations as part of Operation Epic Fury.
- The Ford has been deployed for over nine months, operating in regions including the Arctic Circle, Mediterranean, and Red Sea, and may approach an 11-month deployment, potentially surpassing the USS Nimitz's recent at-sea record.
- Meanwhile, the USS George H.W. Bush and its strike group have deployed from Norfolk for a scheduled mission, with no announcement yet on whether it will relieve the Ford or augment current operations.
