US Navy's Largest Carrier Set to Return Home from Middle East

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the US armed forces, is expected to leave the Middle East and return to the United States soon, the Washington Post reported, citing several US officials. One official said the ship is expected to arrive at its home port in Virginia around mid-May, though no departure date has been set.

The carrier, which has a crew of around 4,500 sailors, has been deployed at sea for 309 days, making it one of the longest aircraft carrier deployments in modern history. In mid-April, it broke the previous record of 295 days held by the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The ship has been operating in the Red Sea as part of US forces in the region, alongside the USS George H.W. Bush in the Arabian Sea and the USS Abraham Lincoln. All three carriers have been deployed amid ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran.

The departure of the USS Gerald R. Ford will reduce US offensive capacity in the region at a time when a ceasefire is in place but efforts to reach a lasting solution have stalled. The ship will undergo extensive maintenance upon its return.

(wtkr, bak)