Following reports of the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford at the port of Split, after undergoing various repair works in Souda Bay, the United States Navy would carry out the deployment of another nuclear aircraft carrier toward the Middle East to take its place. Specifically, this would be the USS George H. W. Bush, which has been observed by local media departing from Naval Station Norfolk and which, according to service officials, would join the strikes that Washington is carrying out against Iran for Operation Epic Fury.
It is worth recalling at this point that the USS George H. W. Bush recently completed a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) in Atlantic Ocean waters, arriving at Naval Station Norfolk at the beginning of the current month. On that occasion, the ship and its crew had the opportunity to operate together with all components of Carrier Strike Group TEN (CSG 10), focusing on operations requiring the use of air defense capabilities and improving coordination with its escorts. As previously reported, this involved the participation of the destroyers USS González (DDG 66), USS Mason (DDG 87), USS Ross (DDG 71) and USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), as well as the Spanish frigate Blas de Lezo.
On the other hand, it is important to mention that currently the United States Navy would only have one nuclear aircraft carrier deployed in the Middle East following the departure of the USS Gerald R. Ford toward European territory for repairs, specifically the USS Abraham Lincoln, along with its own Carrier Strike Group. In detail, this force would be positioned north of the Arabian Sea, with frequent aircraft deployments reported to sustain military pressure on Iran, under the command of United States Central Command.
So far, in the absence of confirmation regarding the U.S. Navy’s plans for the near future, it is unknown how long it would take the USS George H. W. Bush to arrive at its new area of operations from Norfolk. Likewise, the institution has not provided additional details regarding the mission of the USS Gerald R. Ford once it completes its stay in Croatia, leaving uncertainty as to whether it will later rejoin operations against the Iranian regime or remain in Mediterranean waters.
This issue is not minor, especially considering that the most modern U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier has already undergone an extended deployment period, which began last June and is expected to conclude in May, according to the U.S. Navy. If confirmed, this would amount to an approximately 11-month deployment, representing the greatest challenge faced by the crew of the USS Gerald R. Ford, even as it entails a significant operational burden for both the crew and the vessel, which has already experienced fires and issues with its sanitary system.
During these months, the ship accumulated a long series of missions that took it to the Arctic Circle, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Red Sea. Among the most notable prior to its deployment to the Middle East was its involvement in operations by Washington to increase pressure on the Venezuelan government, which reportedly resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro for subsequent transfer to the United States. Additionally, the ship had already made a previous stop in Split at the end of October 2025, participating at that time in a visit with logistical and diplomatic purposes.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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