Hours ago, in an unprecedented move and following weeks of mounting tension in the region, the Pentagon confirmed that the U.S. Navy’s most advanced nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, will be deployed to the Caribbean region, within the area of responsibility of U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM).
The announcement was officially confirmed by Sean Parnell, Assistant Secretary of War and Chief Pentagon Spokesperson, through a post on social media platform X, where he stated: “In support of the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narcoterrorism in defense of the homeland, the Secretary of War has ordered the deployment of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and its embarked air wing to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR).”
He added: “The reinforced presence of U.S. forces in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will enhance America’s ability to detect, monitor, and dismantle illicit actors and activities that threaten national security and prosperity, as well as stability across the Western Hemisphere. These forces will improve and expand existing capabilities to disrupt drug trafficking and to degrade and dismantle TCOs.”
Without a doubt, confirmation of the forthcoming arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Caribbean—within the operational area of U.S. Southern Command—marks another step in the White House’s determination to wage an unrelenting fight against drug cartels operating in the region. These organizations have been labeled as terrorist groups and are regarded as the main source of financial support for Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela.
By way of brief overview, the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean region is the most substantial and significant in decades, featuring an array of assets and capabilities unmatched in the Western Hemisphere. This includes the deployment of F-35B stealth fighters operating out of Puerto Rico, which recently conducted escort missions for B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers, and are believed to have participated in the latest flight involving B-1B Lancer bombers.
Added to these are various naval and amphibious forces, including U.S. Navy and Marine Corps amphibious assault ships, which have been carrying out a series of demonstrations and exercises along Puerto Rican beaches—highlighted by amphibious assault operations and the establishment of beachheads.
Turning back to the forthcoming deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, it is important to emphasize that this vessel represents the most modern nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy. It is the lead ship of its class, which is intended to replace the current Nimitz-class, whose first unit, the USS Nimitz, will be decommissioned next year.
Moreover, deployment to the USSOUTHCOM operational area does not mean it will operate alone; rather, it will be accompanied by part or all of its Carrier Strike Group, composed of escort and support ships such as guided-missile destroyers and cruisers. It is also likely that a nuclear-powered attack submarine will be operating stealthily beneath the surface.
At the time of its departure for Europe to conduct a series of operations in Norway and later in the Mediterranean, the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group consisted of five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers: USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), USS Mahan (DDG-72), USS Mitscher (DDG-57), and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98).
Regarding its embarked assets, the USS Gerald R. Ford set sail from Norfolk with its Carrier Air Wing (CVW) at full strength—that is, fully equipped with F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft, as well as C-2A Greyhound transport planes and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.
Finally, as for the estimated time of arrival to its designated Caribbean area of operations, at the time of Parnell’s announcement, the nuclear carrier was conducting a port visit in Croatia, while elements of its Strike Group—such as the USS Forrest Sherman and USS Mitscher—were operating separately in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, respectively. Therefore, the return transit through the Mediterranean and the Atlantic crossing could take approximately one week.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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