NORFOLK, VA. — The USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group have been ordered to the Middle East after more than 10 months at sea, placing the carrier on track to surpass the record for longest continuous carrier deployment set during the Vietnam War. Top Navy officials have predicted that the Ford's deployment could surpass the Vietnam War record sometime this month, as U.S. military operations against Iran continue.
The Ford departed Norfolk, Va., in June 2025. The strike group moved from Europe to the Caribbean and the operation around Venezuela before receiving the order to the Middle East. Approximately 4,600 personnel are aboard the carrier.
On March 28, 2026, the Ford arrived in Split, Croatia, for a scheduled port visit and maintenance stop. Earlier that month, a fire in the ship's laundry room displaced 600 sailors, some of whom lost all of their personal belongings.
The U.S. Navy aims to keep deployments to six to seven months. Sailors and Marines receive hardship duty pay if they are deployed for more than 220 days. That pay is capped at $495 per month, or $16.50 per day, an amount that has not been updated since 2014. The daily figure of $16.50 is less than one hour of minimum wage in California.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said in a podcast interview he was concerned about the financial strain on families and the impact on morale if the Ford was diverted to the Middle East. Caudle's remarks came before the strike group received the Middle East order.