On Tuesday, June 24th, the United States’ most advanced aircraft carrier, the Ford-class carrier, left its base in Virginia for a routine deployment, with its first stop being in Europe. Following the U.S. military intervention in Israel’s destruction of Iran’s nuclear program, the deployment of the Ford-class carrier gives the U.S. military a third carrier strike group in the vicinity of the Middle East.
The Ford carrier will head to the European theater of operations, including the waters off the coast of Israel in the Mediterranean Sea. The presence of this aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships allows President Trump to deploy a third carrier strike group to the vicinity of Israel if necessary.
Rear Admiral Paul Lanzilotta, who commands the carrier strike group, told the media that the Ford carrier would initially head to the European theater of operations. However, he mentioned, “our mobility and flexibility are both strong.”
“We can move the entire strike group more than 700 miles in a single day,” he said.
Previously, the Ford carrier was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean near Israel’s waters after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The carrier also sailed into the Red Sea to intercept missiles and attack drones launched by Houthi militants towards Israel.
Lanzilotta stated that the troops are “100% prepared” to respond to any such attacks, and the Navy has been continuously updating training, utilizing new information to address all potential threats.
The Ford-class carrier is the first of the U.S. Navy’s most advanced new aircraft carriers, designed to carry a greater variety of aircraft and boasting numerous new technologies. On Tuesday, nearly 4,500 crew members set off for Europe, alongside a strike group that includes fighter jets and missile destroyers.
Lanzilotta said, “I am not worried about our crew – they are very resilient.” He added that the changing world situation has further strengthened their sense of mission.
The Ford carrier strike group has global deployment and strike capabilities and is one of the main forces for U.S. Navy maritime power projection and operations. The Ford carrier is the core of this strike group, carrying a large number of carrier-based aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornets, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft, and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. These aircraft provide strong aerial support for various ships within the group, with functions including air superiority, ground target strikes, and electronic warfare.
The operational method of the destroyers in the Ford carrier strike group will also be adjusted. An Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer will assume the role of air combat commander, a first for a carrier strike group based on the East Coast. The U.S. Navy announced that the USS Winston Churchill (DDG-81), stationed in Mayport, Florida, will take over the air defense mission.
In addition to the USS Winston Churchill, the Ford carrier will also deploy four guided-missile destroyers commanded by the second destroyer squadron. These four destroyers are the USS Mitscher (DDG-57), USS Mahan (DDG-72), USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98). The USS Forrest Sherman departed from Naval Base Norfolk on May 6th and is currently deployed in the Red Sea.
Moreover, the U.S. Navy has deployed the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea and is sending the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier from the Indo-Pacific region to the U.S. Central Command.
According to the U.S. Naval Institute News, the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier joined the Fifth Fleet last Saturday. The carrier is currently operating in the Arabian Sea, similar to the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier.
On the day the USS Nimitz arrived at the Fifth Fleet, the U.S. launched “Operation Midnight Hammer,” striking three nuclear facilities in Iran. The U.S. military carried out the attack using B-2 bombers equipped with bunker buster bombs, in addition to launching 30 Tomahawk land-attack missiles from an Ohio-class guided-missile submarine.