US Supercarrier Ford on the Move After Four Days of Repairs

US Naval Forces Europe confirmed that the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is back on the move after its short stay at the naval base in Crete. It reported the carrier had arrived at the Port of Split in Croatia on March 29.

The carrier had arrived at the base at Souda Bay, Crete, on March 23 after a transit from the Red Sea, where it suffered a laundry room fire that reportedly spread in the ventilation system, damaging berthing areas. According to the Navy’s statement, personnel from the maintenance base, including structural engineers, naval architects, and other experts, conducted a repair assessment. Working with the ship's personnel and local industry partners, they undertook the rehabilitation of seven berthing compartments affected by the fire.

They also reported that military and federal civilian law enforcement continued investigations into the fire that originated in the ship's laundry facilities. The carrier was at Souda Bay from March 23 to March 26.

Capt. David Skarosi, commanding officer of Gerald R. Ford, said the crew was receiving “some well-deserved liberty" while in Split. They noted it was its second visit to Split during the deployment, having also called there from October 21 to 26 before the carrier was transferred to the Caribbean to support the efforts targeting Venezuela.

The Iranian propaganda efforts have been taunting Ford, saying the carrier never made it into the fight before it was forced to withdraw due to the fire.

The Navy had been holding the carrier in the northern Red Sea after its transit of the Suez Canal. Today, it said the carrier is traveling with the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), and is deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

There has been wide speculation over how long the current deployment will continue. The carrier departed Naval Station Norfolk (Virginia) on June 24, 2025. It has traveled to Norway and the Arctic, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, returned to the Mediterranean, and gone into the Red Sea. There were additional unconfirmed reports this week that the George H.W. Bush Carrier Group was underway from Virginia after having completed a training program.

U.S. Central Command today confirmed that USS Tripoli arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on March 27. It said the amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship of the Amphibious Ready Group. It highlighted that the group is composed of about 3,500 sailors and marines in addition to transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets.