Washington, United States – Two US officials said the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) will send the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford from the Caribbean to the Middle East.
making it the second US aircraft carrier in the region at a time of escalating tensions with Iran.
Equipped with an advanced radar system
The officials added that the carrier would take at least a week to reach the region. Moreover, it would join the “Abraham Lincoln”.
A number of guided-missile destroyers, fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft have been deployed there in recent weeks.
The Gerald R. Ford has been deployed since June 2025. Its long deployment on previous missions has put a strain on its crew.
The carrier is the newest in the United States and the largest in the world. Furthermore, it is equipped with an advanced radar system
and the ability to launch more than 75 warplanes, including the F-18 Super Hornet and the E-2 Hawkeye.
Sending the aircraft carrier “Bush”
The two officials indicated that the US administration had considered sending another aircraft carrier, the “Bush,”
but that it would take more than a month to complete its procedures before moving to the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump recently stated that he might send a second one if no agreement is reached with Iran.
Meanwhile, the United States continues to mobilize its military resources to monitor regional activities and protect its interests.
