Ford Getting Broken in (or Maybe Just Broken)
A U.S. Sailor signals the launch of an F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 37, from the flight deck of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), while underway in the Caribbean Sea, Feb. 2, 2026. (U.S. Navy Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Gladjimi Balisage)
The country’s 20th and newest supercarrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), has been deployed since 24 June of last year– recently passing the 240-day mark while underway.
She had originally been scheduled to return to her homeport in January, but that has been extended, first for operations off Venezuela under 4th Fleet, and now headed for 6th Fleet, then later 5th Fleet, where she is expected to arrive to reinforce the task force off Iran in the coming days.
This puts her on track to surpass the current post-Cold War deployment record of 294 days held by USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)— one that was set due to the coof.
USNI News has been keeping track of the 10 longest carrier deployments since 1964, and puts Lincoln’s longest cruise in 6th place, leaving Ford primed to beat Vietnam-era Yankee Station records held by Oriskany/Bon Homme Richard (both with 298), Swanky Franky (300), Saratoga (308), Coral Sea (329), and Midway (332).
Meanwhile, Ford, which spent a decade in construction, is reportedly being plagued by cranky toilets and persistent rumors that her inagural EMALS catapults are still teething.
I hope the lobsters and steak hold out.