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The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) aircraft carrier returned this Saturday to its base at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, after completing a historic deployment of over 300 days, which made it the U.S. aircraft carrier with the longest mission since the Vietnam War, according to Fox News.
The ship departed from Norfolk on June 24, 2025, with over 4,500 sailors and embarked personnel, and operated in three distinct areas of responsibility: European Command, Central Command, and Southern Command of the U.S.
During its deployment, the Ford strike group participated in three large-scale military operations: Operation Southern Spear in the Caribbean; Operation Absolute Resolve, related to the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026; and Operation Epic Fury, as part of the operations against Iran.
The aircraft carrier surpassed the post-war record from Vietnam on April 15, 2026, exceeding the 295 days held by the USS Abraham Lincoln since 2020. The all-time historical record still belongs to the USS Midway, with 332 days during the Vietnam War itself.
The embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8), completed 322 days deployed and conducted over 11,500 air events during the mission, utilizing the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG). The wing returned to its bases on May 11 and 12, a few days earlier than the aircraft carrier itself.
Admiral Daryl Caudle, Chief of Naval Operations, confirmed the record before the House Armed Services Committee, noting that the Ford had been at sea for more than 320 days.
The ship was redirected to the Caribbean in October 2025 to participate in operations against Venezuela, and later moved to the Middle East in February 2026 due to escalating tensions with Iran. In April 2026, three U.S. aircraft carriers operated simultaneously in the region —the Gerald R. Ford, the Abraham Lincoln, and the George H.W. Bush— for the first time since 2003.
The capture of Maduro, one of the key milestones of the operation, occurred in Caracas during a joint operation that also resulted in the arrest of Cilia Flores. The former Venezuelan dictator faces federal charges in the U.S. for narco-terrorism, cocaine importation, possession of military-grade weapons, and conspiracy.
The Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth publicly praised the crew of the strike group in a social media message posted this Saturday: "To the warriors of the USS Gerald R. Ford Strike Group: welcome home. You made history, answered the call with strength and determination, and made our nation proud."
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