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USS George H.W. Bush Gets Underway Starting Deployment from Norfolk

carrier George H.W. Bush
Carrier George H.W. Bush got underway Tuesday morning on its regularly scheduled deployment the Navy said (USN)

Published Mar 31, 2026 2:18 PM by The Maritime Executive


The carrier USS George H. W. Bush departed Naval Station Norfolk (Virginia) on Tuesday morning, March 31. The official Navy statement is that the vessel is starting its scheduled deployment, while there is wide speculation that it will be sent to the Middle East.

CBS News is reporting that it learned that the carrier and its strike group have been assigned to Central Command, which is overseeing the war in Iran. Bush would join USS Abraham Lincoln, which is reported to be in the Gulf of Oman. The next moves for the supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford, however, are less clear. The vessel spent several days in Crete undergoing repairs after the fire and arrived in Croatia last week. Media reports have said it is expected to remain on deployment possibly until May, making it the longest deployment in many years for the U.S. Navy.

 

 

Media reports are that Bush is expected to catch up with its strike group, after destroyers departed last week. The Virginia-based USS Ross, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, shipped out on March 25 from Norfolk. Two additional vessels, USS Donald Cook and USS Mason, were deployed from Naval Station Mayport (Florida) last week.

The Navy highlighted the involvement of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, composed of nine squadrons and 2,500 personnel, as part of the strike group. It said there are over 5,000 personnel in the strike group as it starts the deployment.

Speaking during the sendoff event for Bush, Captain Robert Bibeau said, “We are fully trained, we’re fully equipped, we’re fully manned, we’re ready for anything that the world has to offer,” reports 10Wavy News in Virginia.

The departure reportedly followed some last minute maintenance after the carrier completed Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) on March 5. The Navy reported that over several weeks during the training, units were tested in air, surface, subsurface, and cyber warfare, preparing the strike group to operate as a cohesive, multi-domain fighting force.

 

 

It is unclear if Bush will be used to replace Ford, as more reports leak out on the extent of the damage to the carrier from the announced laundry fire. Well-known commentator Sal Mercogliano posted a reported video of the damaged areas that had been leaked online. 

Media reports in Virginia are saying the Navy took more than 1,000 mattresses off the carrier USS John F. Kennedy, which is still undergoing outfitting at Norfolk and due for delivery in 2027. The mattresses, along with sweatsuits and other supplies, were reportedly airlifted to Crete as part of the recovery effort for Ford.