Skip to content

USS Gerald R. Ford returns to Norfolk after 326‑day deployment

newsMay 16, 20261672

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy's largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, docked at Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday after a 326-day, 11-month deployment. About 4,500 sailors returned to Virginia following operations supporting missions near Iran and Venezuela. Navy officials called it the longest continuous carrier strike group deployment since the Vietnam War, a nearly yearlong stretch that strained crew and family resources. The carrier's return restores a major U.S. maritime presence in the region and highlights questions about operational tempo and readiness for future deployments.

2 sources