USS Gerald R. Ford Sets Record for Longest Deployment Since Vietnam

The USS Gerald R. Ford reached 296 days at sea, marking a new modern deployment milestone. Navy leaders had signaled the extended cruise for months.

How the milestone compares

The carrier surpassed the USS Abraham Lincoln’s 295-day deployment from January 2020. The USS Nimitz had spent 341 days at sea in 2020–2021.

However, quarantine pauses reduced the Nimitz’s forward-deployed support to 263 days, according to Filmogaz.com. The historic longest deployment remains the USS Midway’s 332 days during the Vietnam War.

Command expectations

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said the Ford would likely break deployment records. He spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on March 31.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby told lawmakers in March that an 11-month extended deployment was expected. Those statements foreshadowed the carrier’s lengthy cruise.

Incidents and repairs

On March 12, a non-combat fire broke out in the ship’s main laundry room while the carrier operated in the Red Sea. The vessel was supporting Operation Epic Fury at the time.

The blaze damaged about 100 sleeping berths. Three sailors were injured, one requiring medevac, and roughly 200 received treatment for smoke exposure.

The carrier sailed to Split, Croatia, for five days of maintenance and repairs. It subsequently returned to operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

Maintenance and system problems

The ship has faced plumbing issues affecting its nearly 650 toilets. Problems centered on the vacuum collection system for wastewater disposal.

Flight-deck and habitability concerns prompted repeated maintenance requests. The Ford sought assistance 32 times in 2025, according to Filmogaz.com.

Relief and support options

The USS George H.W. Bush and its strike group departed Naval Station Norfolk on March 31. That carrier could relieve the Ford or operate alongside it in the Middle East.

The Navy has not finalized plans for relief or coordination between the two carriers. Officials continue to assess operational needs and timing.

The deployment cements the USS Gerald R. Ford’s place in recent naval history. The ship now stands as a reference point for future carrier operations and logistics planning.