U.S. Sends World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier to Middle East Amid Heightened Tensions

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, has been ordered to sail from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East, U.S. officials said on Thursday, marking a significant reinforcement of American naval forces in the region.

The move will position two U.S. aircraft carriers and their accompanying warships in the Middle East, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived in the area more than two weeks ago with a task force of guided-missile destroyers.

Officials speaking on condition of anonymity told news agencies that relocating the Gerald R. Ford — which has been active in the Caribbean following operations earlier in the past year — will enhance the United States’ capacity to respond to evolving security challenges.

The deployment comes at a time of intense diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran. Recent indirect talks aimed at reaching an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program took place in Oman on Feb. 6, and U.S. leaders have reiterated the importance of a diplomatic solution. President Donald Trump warned this week that failure to reach a deal could have significant consequences.

It remains unclear how long the Gerald R. Ford will remain in the Middle East. Crew members aboard the ship have already been deployed for several months, and this extended assignment highlights the strategic flexibility of U.S. naval forces in responding to global developments.

The White House and Pentagon have not issued immediate comments on the latest deployment orders.

USS Gerald R. Ford is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the lead ship of her class. Named after Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States, the ship honors his World War II naval service, which included combat duty aboard the light aircraft carrier Monterey in the Pacific Theater. It cost about $12.8 billion, plus $4.7 billion to build the aircraft.