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Fire caused much more damage than initially confessed
The major fire that broke out on the USS 'Gerald Ford' on March 12, caused much more damage than US authorities reported at the time.A video shared by CNN showed massive damage inside the ship, including sleeping quarters that have been completely burned out, and a large mass of twisted and blackened steel. The fire originated in the laundromat. According to the Navy, the fire started in the ventilation duct of a clothes dryer. It took about 30 hours to extinguish the fire. Over 600 crew members lost their sleeping quarters and personal belongings. Several people were also injured by the fire. The Navy later denied that the extinguishing took 30 hours. In a brief statement at the time, it was reported that the fire was “under control,” that two sailors had received medical treatment for “non-life-threatening injuries,” and that the aircraft carrier was “fully operational.” However, the damage appears to be significant, which was further exacerbated by the fact that the fire extinguishing system was not working properly. The Navy declined to comment further on the fire. The investigation was still ongoing. The fire was not the only problem the 'Gerald Ford' had faced during its voyage. Earlier reports also indicated that the toilets were becoming clogged, forcing crew members to walk all the way to the other side of the aircraft carrier to relieve themselves. During the Gerald Ford's most recent deployment, it supported, among other things, the American operation to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The mission was the longest by an aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War and also included stopovers in the Mediterranean and Norway. Now that that voyage is over, the 'Gerald Ford' will be out of service for a long time to undergo repairs. It could take at least a year before the vessel is seaworthy again. The Navy was also planning to fix the sewage system by splitting it up into more sections, which will make it easier to isolate faults and find out where they are located.
Gerald R. Ford broke record for longest deployment since the Vietnam War
The USS 'Gerald R. Ford' broke the U.S. record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, a nearly 10-month span that saw it take part in both the military raid in Venezuela and the Iran war, on April 15. The ship's 295th day at sea surpassed the previous longest deployment by an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years, when the USS 'Abraham Lincoln' was sent out for 294 days in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The deployment raised questions about the impact on service members away from home for long periods as well as increasing strain on the ship and its equipment. The ship began its deployment in June 2025, heading to the Mediterranean See from its home port in Norfolk, Virginia. The military rerouted it to the Caribbean Sea in October as part of the largest naval buildup in the region in generations. The carrier took part in the opening days of the Iran war from the Mediterranean Sea before going through the Suez Canal and heading into the Red Sea in early March. However, a fire in one of its laundry spaces forced the carrier to turn around and return to the Mediterranean Sea for repairs. The fire temporarily left 600 sailors without places to sleep. Pentagon officials have not said how long the Ford will stay deployed, but the Navy's two highest-ranking officers both said publicly that they expected the ship to be deployed for around 11 months. That would put the ship returning home in late May. The 295-day deployment falls short of the longest deployment during the Cold War, a record held by the now-decommissioned USS 'Midway'. It was deployed for 332 days in 1972 and 1973. More recently, the crew of the USS 'Nimitz' was on duty and away from home for a total of 341 days in 2020 and 2021. However, that included extended isolation periods ashore in the U.S. meant to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Maintenance in Souda completed
On March 28, the USS 'Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)' arrived in Split, marking a new phase in its record-breaking deployment. This followed an intense logistics stop in Souda Bay, Crete, where the ship underwent emergency cleaning and restocking after the laundry fire on March 12. The maintenance likely focused on the final restoration of ventilation systems and internal living spaces damaged during the 30-hour blaze that displaced over 600 sailors. The aircraft carrier will host local officials and dignitaries, shifting its role from Red Sea combat operations to high-level naval diplomacy in the Adriatic. Moving from the high-tension Red Sea to the calm waters of Croatia signalled a de-escalation for the carrier strike group after nearly 280 days at sea. This gave the crew a much-needed break in a secure, friendly port while finishing the cleanup from the fire. On April 2, the aircraft carrier set sail again, and on April 3, it departed from Taranto. Photos: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BnQ3tXc6t/
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