The USS Gerald R. Ford, the United States’ largest and most costly aircraft carrier, is set to withdraw from West Asia around mid-May 2026 after completing a 309-day deployment, the longest for a U.S. carrier since the Vietnam War. The carrier, valued at $13 billion, has been operating in support of U.S. military efforts targeting Iran, amid escalating tensions and diplomatic stalemates between Washington and Tehran.

The Ford’s extended deployment has taken a significant toll on the vessel and its crew. In March 2026, a fire broke out in the ship’s laundry room, injuring several sailors and forcing over 600 crew members to relocate from their quarters. Reports also detailed ongoing sanitation system failures, with an average of one sewage-related maintenance issue daily, severely impacting living conditions onboard. These mechanical difficulties have compounded over months, raising concerns about the ship’s sustainability during prolonged operations.

Prior to these incidents, Pentagon assessments indicated insufficient data to confirm the Ford’s full operational capability under combat conditions. Critical systems, including the advanced aircraft launch and recovery mechanisms, radar, and weapons elevators, remain under scrutiny for reliability during sustained deployments.

Upon returning to its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, the carrier will enter an extensive maintenance period estimated to last up to 14 months, effectively removing it from active duty for over a year. This withdrawal comes at a time when the U.S. naval presence in West Asia is tightening with two other carriers—the USS George H.W. Bush and USS Abraham Lincoln—continuing operations aimed at enforcing a blockade against Iranian oil shipments.

The Ford’s retreat highlights broader challenges facing the U.S. Navy’s carrier fleet. The USS John C. Stennis is currently undergoing a delayed and over-budget mid-life Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), projected to continue until at least October 2026 due to workforce shortages and critical equipment failures. The USS Harry S. Truman is scheduled to begin its own overhaul in June 2026, overlapping with the Stennis’s maintenance period, with an expected return to service not before January 2031. Additionally, the oldest active carrier, USS Nimitz, is slated for decommissioning by March 2027, all of which threaten to reduce the fleet below the legally mandated 11 active carriers.

The strain of these prolonged deployments is affecting crew morale and well-being as well. Extended maintenance and service outages have been linked to mental health challenges, with reports of suicides and declining conditions aboard other carriers such as the USS George Washington during an unusually long overhaul phase. Similar morale issues are emerging among personnel on the Ford, with some sailors reportedly contemplating leaving the Navy due to the extended operational demands.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged the difficulty in extending the Ford’s deployment, referring to it as “a tough decision-making process” amid the intense operational pressures. The carrier’s withdrawal serves as a reminder of the challenges facing the U.S. naval fleet, illustrating the limitations and vulnerabilities that heavy operational demands place on both hardware and personnel during protracted conflict scenarios.