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After nearly a year of intense operations — including the capture of Venezuela’s former President Nicolas Maduro and combat missions in the Iran conflict — America’s most advanced supercarrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, is finally returning to port.
The massive warship is scheduled to dock at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on Saturday, May 16.This deployment marks the longest for any US aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War. The Ford played a central role in President Donald Trump’s foreign military objectives, serving as a key platform for power projection across two major operations.For the sailors’ families, the past year was filled with anxiety as their loved ones remained at the center of global headlines. Aviation Electrician’s father, Amini Osias, told CNN, “Now I feel some relief and will be able to sleep normally.” He is looking forward to taking his daughter out for a meal and hearing her stories from the long deployment.The mission was not without challenges. In March, a fire broke out in the ship’s laundry area, taking nearly 30 hours to control and clean up. Around 600 sailors temporarily lost their living quarters, though fortunately no one was seriously injured. Earlier, the ship also faced repeated mechanical failures in its toilet and sewage systems, forcing it to make an unscheduled port visit for repairs.Despite these issues, the $13 billion Gerald R. Ford proved indispensable in both the Venezuela and Iran operations. It launched aircraft for the mission that led to Maduro’s arrest and served as a major strike platform during the Iran conflict.Retired US Navy officer and former submarine commander Brent Sadler highlighted the ship’s advanced Electromagnetic Catapult System, which can launch everything from small drones to heavy fighter jets — a capability not yet available on the Navy’s other 10 carriers.The Ford departed Virginia last June, crossed the Atlantic, conducted operations in the Mediterranean and off Norway, was redirected to the Caribbean for the Maduro mission in January, and later deployed to the Middle East for the Iran operations. It began its journey home earlier this month via the Mediterranean and Atlantic.
