USS Gerald R. Ford breaks record for longest post-Vietnam deployment

The world’s largest aircraft carrier officially earned the distinction of having the longest modern deployment Wednesday, when it marked 296 days at sea.

The USS Abraham Lincoln previously held that record, having deployed for 295 days in January 2020.

The USS Nimitz was at sea for a record 341 days in 2020 and 2021, but parts of that deployment were plagued by quarantine periods intended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, which saw the carrier stationed ashore. The Nimitz was forward-deployed in support of American security interests for only 263 days, factoring in those isolation periods, according to USNI News.

The Ford’s record didn’t come as a surprise.

During a March 31 appearance at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said the carrier would likely see a “record-breaking deployment.”

And Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby told lawmakers at a Senate Armed Services Committee in March that he expected the Ford to reach an 11-month extended deployment.

The current record for longest deployment, modern or historic, is held by the USS Midway, which was at sea for 332 days during the Vietnam War.

USS Gerald R. Ford docks in Greece for port call after fire

Ford’s milestone didn’t come easy.

On March 12, the carrier dealt with a non-combat related fire in the main laundry room while it was stationed in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury, the Navy said.

The fire damaged 100 sleeping berths, injured three sailors — one of whom had to be flown off the vessel for medical attention — and forced 200 other sailors to receive treatment for smoke-related injuries.

As a result of the damage, the carrier traveled to Split, Croatia, for maintenance and repairs over five days before returning to sea.

The carrier is now operating in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Ford has also experienced plumbing problems with the nearly 650 toilets onboard, specifically with the carrier’s vacuum collection, which transports and disposes wastewater.

The Ford called for maintenance assistance 32 times in 2025, according to an NPR report.

The USS George H.W. Bush and its strike group departed from Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on March 31 for a regularly scheduled deployment.

The Bush could relieve the Ford of its duties in order for the vessel to return home, or it could serve in tandem with the carrier in the Middle East. The Navy has not announced its plans for either carrier.