It remains undetermined whether USS Gerald R. Ford will remain in the Mediterranean or sail toward the Red Sea.
The US Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier has been spotted in the Mediterranean Sea. Last month, the lead ship of the Ford-class embarked on its regularly scheduled deployment to the US European Command area of responsibility. The entire Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (CSG) transited the Strait of Gibraltar with several Spanish Navy warships. The joint presence of the two navies in these waters highlights the alliance between the US and Spanish navies. As stated by Cmdr. J David Garcia, commanding officer of ESPS Canarias, “This operational activity in the Strait of Gibraltar shows the solid commitment of Spain as a strong Ally in a key access point to the Mediterranean Sea. Both the U.S. Navy and the Spanish Navy are used to working together, not only at sea, but also from the Rota Naval Base – the main U.S.-Spanish naval station in South Europe, that was set up back in the 1960s. From there, the defense of our common values has been broadly developed through a firm friendship, which makes us stronger together.”
It remains undetermined whether USS Ford will remain in the Mediterranean or sail toward the Red Sea. Since Hamas waged its invasion of Israel back in October 2023, the United States has maintained a heavy presence in the Red Sea. However, since the Nimitz-class USS Harry S. Truman left the region in May, no other carrier strike group has taken its place in the Red Sea. The Carl Vinson CSG previously dispatched to the North Arabian Sea, which is now covered by the presence of the Nimitz CSG.
Introducing USS Gerald R. Ford
Named to honor the 38th president of the United States, Gerald Ford, CVN-78 is so far the only ship in her class in active service with the Navy. Her keel was laid down in 2009 and formally commissioned with the Navy in 2017. Ultimately, the service plans to acquire 10 Ford-class carriers as the aging Nimitz ships are retired at a one-for-one rate. While the Nimitz vessels may be old, they remain absolute powerhouses in the waters. The massive class of carriers has honorably served the Navy for half a century and continues to provide power projection capabilities required by the service. However, the Ford carriers are equipped with the latest and greatest technologies, giving them an edge over their Nimitz predecessors.
Perhaps the most important addition to the Ford carrier is the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System. Rather than a traditional steam piston used to launch aircraft, Ford features an electromagnetic catapult that relies upon a linear induction motor. Coupled with the new Advanced Arresting Gear, the Ford ships are capable of launching 25 percent more sorties in addition to generating triple the amount of electrical power.
USS John F. Kennedy is the next Ford-class ship in line to enter service with the Navy. Until then, the service will rely upon its existing Nimitz ships to carry out its deterrence strategy at sea.
About the author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: DVIDS.
