USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is now operating in the Mediterranean Sea, according to ship spotters.
The flagship of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group was spotted passing through the Strait of Gibraltar Thursday. The ship’s presence in the Mediterranean Sea marks the return of a U.S. carrier to the body of water.
The Navy maintained a carrier presence in the Mediterranean Sea between December 2021and April 2023, when USS George H.W. Bush left in April, as part of its response to the Russo-Ukraine War.
Ford is now the third carrier to enter the Mediterranean since Russia invaded Ukraine, joining Bush and USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).
Ford deployed with the rest of the strike group in May for its first world-wide deployment. Its plans had been to continue the presence in the Mediterranean, USNI News previously reported.
“Our presence at sea throughout the deployment will provide reassurance to our allies and partners that sea lanes will remain open, and our joint operations will demonstrate our commitment to interoperability and maritime stability,” Rear Admiral Greg Huffman, commander of Carrier Strike Group 12, said in the Navy news release announcing the deployment.
During its month traveling to the Mediterranean, Ford made a port call in Oslo, Norway. It went under NATO command while sailing in the Arctic Circle.
