US Sends Third Aircraft Carrier Towards Mideast as Iran Tensions Rise
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The U.S. Navy is preparing to deploy the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford<\/em> to the Mediterranean, placing a third carrier strike group in reach of the Mideast. USS Carl Vinson<\/em> is already on station in the Arabian Sea, and USS Nimitz <\/em>is currently under way westbound from the Strait of Malacca.\u00a0<\/p>\n Each carrier strike group typically brings with it one attack submarine, one cruiser and two or more destroyers, in addition to an air wing of F\/A-18 Super Hornets and (on some carriers) F-35 Lightning strike fighters. The overall package delivers a powerful land-attack punch, but also enhances regional air defense with a combination of anti-aircraft, anti-drone and anti-ballistic-missile capabilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n Two destroyers operating in Central Command have already been involved in defeating Iranian ballistic missile attacks on Israel over the past week, a Navy official told Norfolk’s WAVY. USS The Sullivans<\/em> and USS Arleigh Burke<\/em> both expended interceptors over the weekend to shoot down Iranian attacks, the official confirmed.\u00a0<\/p>\n USS Ford <\/em>is currently at Norfolk, and has been in a refit and training cycle since her last deployment ended in January 2024. She finished a series of work-up exercises several weeks ago. Her upcoming deployment to the Mediterranean is “regularly scheduled,” according to the Navy.\u00a0<\/p>\n The futuristic and innovative USS\u00a0Ford <\/em>suffered from years of technical issues during construction and commissioning, but it has turned into a mature fighting platform with high marks for performance, according to the Ford-class program office. The vessel is not fitted to carry the F-35, but this upgrade is planned.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \t
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