USS Gerald R. Ford to return from 11-month deployment on Saturday

Key Points:

• The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, is returning to its homeport in Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, after completing the longest post-Vietnam deployment by a carrier, lasting over 320 days at sea.
• The deployment began on June 24, 2025, and included operations in the Middle East supporting U.S. Central Command and Operation Epic Fury against Iran, as well as missions in the Caribbean Sea.
• The carrier broke the previous post-Vietnam deployment record of 295 days set by the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020, although the USS Midway still holds the overall longest carrier deployment record with 332 days during the Vietnam War.
• The deployment faced significant challenges, including a non-combat fire in the main laundry room in March that injured sailors and disrupted living quarters, as well as persistent plumbing issues affecting nearly 650 toilets on board.
• After repairs in Souda Bay, Greece, and Split, Croatia, the USS Gerald R. Ford resumed operations and personnel from its Carrier Air Wing 8 have already returned to their home stations.