WASHINGTON (AP) —The largest American aircraft carrier in service sailed out of Split and “remains poised for full mission tasking in support of national objectives in any area of operation,” the Navy’s 6th Fleet announced.
It was unclear where it was going. It went to Croatia after a stop in Souda Bay, Greece, for repairs after a fire in its laundry room. It underwent further repairs in Croatia and saw its sailors take liberty while at port.
The Ford left Norfolk, Virginia, on June 24, 2025, making its deployment one of the longest in Navy history.
If it heads to the Middle East, it would have to pass through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Yemen’s Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have entered the war and begun firing on Israel, meaning the Ford could face fire from them.
The USS Abraham Lincoln remains in the Arabian Sea. The U.S. military’s Central Command said Friday that it “continues to conduct flight operations, both day and night.”
The USS George H. W. Bush aircraft carrier departed Norfolk on Wednesday to head to the Mideast.