The world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford, has returned home to Naval Station Norfolk after an 11-month deployment, breaking the record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment.
Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford arrives at Naval Station Norfolk on May 16, 2026 in Norfolk, Virginia . Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.
The USS Gerald R Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, returned home to Virginia on Saturday after an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War, that saw it support the The most advanced US warship and two accompanying destroyers docked at Naval Station Norfolk with about 5,000 sailors waiting to see their families for the first time since June. Besides combat operations and traversing continents, the sailors aboard the carrier faced aDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on hand for the arrival of the warships, which included the destroyer USS Bainbridge.
“You didn't just accomplish a mission, you made history,” Hegseth said on the destroyer's deck. “You made a nation proud. ” Members of the US Navy salute as aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford arrives at Naval Station Norfolk on May 16, 2026 in Norfolk, Virginia. Juan Caceres kisses Heidi Eckstein after disembarking aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford at Naval Station Norfolk on May 16, 2026 in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Ford’s 326 days at sea are the most for an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years and broke the record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, according to US Naval Institute News, a news outlet run by the US Naval Institute, a nonprofit organisation. The only longer deployments were the 1973 deployment of USS Midway at 332 days and the 1965 deployment of USS Coral Sea at 329 days.
The Ford's long time at sea has raised questions about the impact on service members who are away from home for long periods as well as about increasing strain on the ship and its equipment beyond the fire, which started in one of the carrier's laundry spaces. When the Ford first left Virginia's coast in June, it headed to the Mediterranean Sea.
It was then rerouted to the Caribbean Sea in October as part of the largest naval buildup in the region in generations. The carrier took part in the military operation in January to capture Maduro.
Then it would see more battle, heading toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated. The Ford participated in the opening days of the Iran war from the Mediterranean Sea before going through the Suez Canal and heading into the Red Sea in early March. Technically, the crew of the USS Nimitz was on duty and away from home for a total of 341 days in 2020 and 2021.
However, that included extended isolation periods ashore in the US meant to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Navy Ships Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R Ford Navy USS Bainbridge Pete Hegseth Longest Deployment Record 50 Years Post-Vietnam War Navy Institute News Naval Station Norfolk Norfolk Virginia
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