Tag Archives: USS Bainbridge (DDG 96)

Ford is Finally Back (and will be offline for longer than she was deployed)

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USS Gerald R. Ford and her two companion destroyers, USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) and USS Mahan (DDG 72), left port on 24 June 2025 for six months of scheduled deployment and exercises.

They arrived back home last week, some 322 days later.

The unofficial tally:

Ford and company bested every post-Vietnam carrier deployment record, saw combat and combat support operations under both 4th and 5th Fleet, surviving a fire at sea and a myriad of persistent teething issues, earning a Presidential Unit Citation in the process, the first time a carrier did so since 1973 when USS Midway picked up one after a 332-day Vietnam tour.

Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) arrives to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, May 16, 2026. The Ford carrier strike group recently concluded a historic deployment, providing maritime security across four areas of operation, solidifying the Ford-class carrier’s role as the premier centerpiece of American naval power and global stability. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)

From left to right, Congressman John McGuire, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Carrier Strike Group 12 Commander Rear Adm. David Duff, Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Capt. David Skarosi and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle pose for a photo with the Presidential Unit Citation award and pennant aboard the Ford on Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, May 16, 2026. 

Quite an accomplishment.

Especially for the DDGs.

A supercarrier is a floating city, and you would be hard pressed to visit every compartment aboard on a cruise, even one of 322 days. On the other hand, a DDG, even a big one like a Burke, is more like a floating apartment building with guns on the roof. Those tin can guys earned their sea pay on this one, for sure.

During their historic deployment across four fleets, the crew of Mahan alone conducted 19 replenishments-at-sea and executed 25 sea and anchor details during a historic 11-month deployment to U.S. 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleets as part of the GRF Carrier Strike Group.

NORFOLK, Va. (May 16, 2026) – Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) returns to Naval Station Norfolk, May 16, 2026, following a historic 11-month deployment to U.S. 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleets as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. During their historic deployment across four fleets, the crew of Mahan conducted 19 replenishments-at-sea and executed 25 sea and anchor details. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist David Smalls, III)

What next?

Ford is now set to begin at least a 12-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) that, with repairs to her berthing areas and her undoubtably huge maintenance backlog from her 322 days underway, may stretch to 24 months as there could be some serious rebuilding to be done.

Speaking of the rest of the other 10 carriers in commission:

Nimitz (CVN-68) is underway, completing her final cruise, and is scheduled to begin deactivation as soon as she arrives in Norfolk. While her official decommissioning date is March 2027, don’t count on seeing her underway on her own power again once this current Latin American hearts and minds cruise is over.

Stennis (CVN-74) has been on her four-year mid-life ROCH since May 2021 and won’t emerge until at least October 2026, and will then require months of availability and shakedowns to be ready to deploy.

Truman (CVN-75) is set to begin her four-year RCOH in June 2026– if Stennis gets out of Dry Dock 12 in time for that start date. Once the overhaul is started, Truman will not deploy again until 2031 at the earliest.

Reagan (CVN-76) has been in a DPIA overhaul since August 2024 and isn’t set to emerge until at least August 2026.

That gives the fleet six carriers that are actually able to get underway– and most of them are.

Lincoln and Bush are deployed to the Arabian Sea. The venerable, nearly half-century-old Eisenhower is being rumored to be rushed overseas after emerging from her 15-month overhaul (supposedly her last) to backfill Ford. Vinson is in San Diego, still getting over an extended nine-month deployment that ended last August. Washington is forward deployed to Japan (yes, just a single carrier in the West Pac) while TR is in the East Pac on workups.

That’s it.

JFK (CVN-79) isn’t set to deliver until May 2027 (replacing Nimitz) for her first deployment, not likely until 2029. Enterprise (CVN-80) is supposed to come online in 2029 to replace Eisenhower. Et. al.

Med Top Trio

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Lots of joint carrier ops lately, with the Brits, Japanese and 7th Fleet steaming a trio of flattops in the Pacific (HMS Queen Elizabeth, USS America, JS Ise) last August while a five-flattop formation was photographed just two weeks ago in the Philippine Sea to include the Abraham Lincoln and Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Groups along with Japan’s Hyuga (DDH 181) and two big phibs (America and Essex).

Well, looks like the Med now has its photo-ex as the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) integrated with the French carrier Charles de Gaulle’s (R 91) Task Force 473 and Italian carrier Cavour (C-550) strike groups, “highlighting the strength of the maritime partnerships among the three nations,” as part of Neptune Strike 22/Clemenceau 22 over in Sixth Fleet’s neck of the woods.

And a Tico, (San Jacinto) made it as the point ship, still beautiful at age 34.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA – Elements of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8, the ITS Cavour Strike Group, and the Charles de Gaulle Carrier Strike Group (TF 473) transit the Mediterranean Sea in formation, Feb. 6, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to maintain maritime stability and security, and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests in Europe and Africa. Photo By: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bela Chambers. 220206-N-DH793-1568

In the below close-up, note that Charles de Gaulle has 20 Rafales on deck as well as a pair of Hawkeyes while Cavour looks to still be carrying her aging AV-8B Harriers.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA – From right to left, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (C 550), and the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R 91) transit the Mediterranean Sea in formation, Feb. 6, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to maintain maritime stability and security, and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests in Europe and Africa. Photo By: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bela Chambers. 220206-N-DH793-1262.JPG

As noted by C6F:

Elements of the strike group include the staff of Carrier Strike Group 8; flagship USS Harry S. Truman; the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1; the staff and guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28, which include: USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), USS Gravely (DDG 107); the Royal Norwegian Navy’s Fridtjof-Nansen class frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310) deployed as part of the Cooperative Deployment Program; and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56). USS Cole (DDG 67) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) are also part of the carrier strike group and currently supporting U.S. Fifth Fleet Area of Operations.

Limpet mine update: ‘With high confidence’

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U.S. Navy CDR Sean Kido, head of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit One One (EODMU 11) explains the attack on the Panama-flagged chemical/oil tanker Kokuka Courageous (19,349t) and the Norwegian-owned (International Tanker Management) Marshal Islands-flagged oil tanker Front Altair, allegedly by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, in the Gulf of Oman on June 13th, 2019:

Mr. Limpet makes his daytime appearance in the Gulf of Oman

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Not this guy who everybody loved:

This guy:

(Or approximate)

The attack in International waters hit the Panama-flagged chemical/oil tanker Kokuka Courageous (19,349t), owned by Singapore-based Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) and carrying a load of methanol; along with the Norwegian-owned (International Tanker Management) Marshal Islands-flagged oil tanker Front Altair (62,849t) with a load of crude, early on June 13. Both were carrying what Japan’s Trade Ministry says were “Japan-related” cargo.

The attacks occurred off the Emirati port of Fujairah, also on the Gulf of Oman, approaching the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil traded by sea passes.

Kokuka Courageous Front Altair

“The timing was considered sensitive as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was visiting Iran on a high-stakes diplomacy mission.”

5th Fleet’s release on the matter through CENTCOM:

TAMPA (NNS) — U.S. Naval Forces in the region received two separate distress calls at 6:12 a.m. local time from the motor tanker (M/T) Altair and a second one at 7a.m. local time from the M/T Kokuka Courageous.

Both vessels were in international waters in the Gulf of Oman approximately 10 nautical miles apart at the time of the distress calls. USS Bainbridge was approximately 40 nautical miles away from the M/T Altair at the time of the attack and immediately began closing the distance.

At 8:09 a.m. local time a U.S. aircraft observed an IRGC Hendijan class patrol boat and multiple IRGC fast attack craft/fast inshore attack craft (FAC/FIAC) in the vicinity of the M/T Altair.

At 9:12 a.m. local time a U.S. aircraft observes the FAC/FIAC pull a raft from the M/T Altair from the water.

At 9:26 a.m. local time the Iranians requested that the motor vessel Hyundai Dubai, which had rescued the sailors from the M/T Altair, to turn the crew over to the Iranian FIACs. The motor vessel Hyundai Dubai complied with the request and transferred the crew of the M/T Altair to the Iranian FIACs.

At 11:05 a.m. local time USS Bainbridge approaches the Dutch tug Coastal Ace, which had rescued the crew of twenty-one sailors from the M/T Kokuka Courageous who had abandoned their ship after discovering a probable unexploded limpet mine on their hull following an initial explosion.

190613-N-N0101-115 GULF OF OMAN (June 13, 2019) In this Powerpoint slide provided by U.S. Central Command damage from an explosion, left, and a likely limpet mine can be seen on the hull of the civilian vessel M/V Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman, June 13, 2019, as the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), not pictured, approaches the damaged ship. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

190613-N-N0101-116 GULF OF OMAN (June 13, 2019) In this Powerpoint slide provided by U.S. Central Command damage from an explosion, left, and a likely limpet mine can be seen on the hull of the civilian vessel M/V Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman, June 13, 2019, as the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), not pictured, approaches the damaged ship. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

While the Hendijan patrol boat appeared to attempt to get to the tug Coastal Ace before USS Bainbridge, the mariners were rescued by USS Bainbridge at the request of the master of the M/T Kokuka Courageous. The rescued sailors are currently aboard USS Bainbridge.

190613-N-SS350-0135 GULF OF OMAN (June 13, 2019) Sailors aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) render aid to the crew of the M/V Kokuka Courageous. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jason Waite/Released)

At 4:10 p.m. local time an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat approached the M/T Kokuka Courageous and was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine from the M/T Kokuka Courageous.

The U.S. and our partners in the region will take all necessary measures to defend ourselves and our interests. Today’s attacks are a clear threat to international freedom of navigation and freedom of commerce.

The U.S. and the international community, stand ready to defend our interests, including the freedom of navigation.

The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests.

The attack comes a month to the day after what is described as “Coordinated teams of divers using limpet mines incapacitated the vessels in a series of timed detonations” to damage four tankers from the Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Norway off the Emirati coast.

The underwater damage to the Saudi Arabian tanker Al Marzoqah May 12

Saudi Arabian tanker Amjad was one of those attacked in the Port of Fujairah May 12

And the beat goes on…

Google Operation Praying Mantis to see how this is going to end up.

Coming at your from 1988: