The newest US Navy nuclear aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on February 20, beginning the final stage of its redeployment to the shores of the Middle East. The appearance of the aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean will allow the US to use carrier-based aviation and missile weapons to strike targets in Iran. This was reported by Defense Express, writes UNN.
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It will take the aircraft carrier about four days to reach positions from which combat use of aircraft with the support of aerial tankers is possible. Despite the significant distance to Iran, which exceeds 1,500 kilometers, the escort destroyers are capable of providing a reliable anti-missile shield in the region. There is also a possibility that the Gerald Ford will continue to move to the Arabian Sea, where in 10-14 days it will join the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to increase pressure on Tehran.
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Currently, the Pentagon can only afford five aircraft carriers and four carrier strike groups in a deployed state. The operation of the ship has already caused concern among the military, as it has been on voyages since June 2025 and was supposed to go for repairs.
Depletion of fleet resources amid global conflicts
The excessive activity of the USS Gerald R. Ford is due to the fact that a significant part of the American aircraft carrier fleet is currently undergoing maintenance or preparing for decommissioning, as in the case of the USS Nimitz.
Washington's decision to send a crew exhausted by an eight-month voyage to a new theater of war indicates the critical importance of the Iranian direction. Currently, the aircraft carrier is the main deterrent in the region, despite the need for scheduled repairs of structures and mechanisms after transatlantic crossings.
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