USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier leaves Middle East amid Iran fight

The United States’ largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, on Monday reached Crete, Greece for repairs after leaving the Middle East due to a fire onboard.

Photos from AFP show the aircraft carrier arrived at Souda Bay naval base, where it had last stopped in February for food, fuel and ammunition. The ship was damaged due to a fire in the laundry room on March 12 amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.  

With the Ford now in Greece, the U.S. military only has one aircraft carrier in the war against Iran unless Washington sends another such vessel to replace it, leaving a gap for U.S. forces in the Middle East.

The Hill reached out to the Pentagon for comment. U.S. Central Command, which oversees Middle East operations, referred questions to U.S. European Command.

The ship, along with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, has played a key role in the Trump administration’s war against Tehran, housing dozens of aircraft and thousands of service members supporting a massive air campaign against Iran.

The Ford has been at sea for nearly nine months after departing Norfolk, Va., in June, initially sent to the European theater. The vessel was then ordered to head to the Caribbean as the Pentagon was establishing a massive military presence near Venezuela.

That operation led to the capture and ouster of the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, numerous strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats, and interdiction of sanctioned tankers.

Then, in early February, the Ford was ordered to the Persian Gulf region as tensions climbed between Washington and Tehran. 

The ship has experienced problems since arriving in the Middle East, reportedly suffering issues with its toilet system followed by the laundry room fire, which injured two sailors and damaged some 100 beds.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, last week criticized ship’s extended deployment, calling the fire “incredibly concerning.”

“The Ford and its crew have been pushed to the brink after nearly a year at sea, and they have been paying the price for President Donald Trump’s reckless military decisions,” Warner said in a statement.

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