World’s largest warship comes home after completing epic 57K+ nautical mile odyssey

May 18, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Nearly 4,500 sailors aboard the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), returned to Naval Station Norfolk on May 16 after an 11-month deployment across the US 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleets.

The aircraft carrier returned with its accompanying destroyers, USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), and USS Mahan (DDG 72). USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81) also returned to its homeport of Naval Station Mayport.

Before returning to Norfolk after 326 days, the Gerald R. Ford crew conducted 23 replenishments-at-sea and sailed over 57,713 nautical miles. Embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 logged more than 5,760 flight hours and 12,200 flight launches, according to the US Navy.

“For nearly a year, you have held the line for our nation. Your voyage took you to places you never expected, from the Mediterranean Sea and 6th Fleet, where you thought you would be, to 4th Fleet, down in Southern Command for Operation Southern Spear and Absolute Resolve,” US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke to the Gerald R. Ford crew.

“Then, you fought through all the way to finish the latter part of your mission, which was to 5th Fleet in Operation Epic Fury, from Europe to Southern Command to Central Command. There, you had an unmistakable message to the world: no one can match the USS Ford. No one can match the United States military.”

At the homecoming, Hegseth presented Carrier Strike Group 12 with the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The PUC is the highest honor a military unit can receive, awarded for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.

In November 2025, Ford entered the US Southern Command area of responsibility (USSOUTHCOM AOR), conducting missions in the Caribbean waters. The aircraft carrier was then redeployed to the Middle East to join the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group already operating in the region. Meanwhile, the vessel also experienced internal problems after a fire broke out while the ship was operating in the Red Sea, injuring two sailors.

The ship then visited Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece, and Split, Croatia, for resupply and repairs. It has broken the record for the longest post-Vietnam War-era deployment.

World’s largest warship breaks record for longest modern deployment

Operations

Carrier Strike Group 12, commanded by Rear Adm. Gavin Duff, deployed June 24, 2025, and includes flagship USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), commanded by Capt. Dave Skarosi, the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, commanded by Capt. Jacob Rose.

They were also accompanied by Arleigh Burke-class destroyers within Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, commanded by Capt. Mark Lawrence, and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), commanded by Capt. Judson Mallory. The guided-missile destroyers of DESRON 2 include USS Mahan (DDG 72) and USS Bainbridge (DDG 96).