Humiliation… that is what the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford of the US Navy feels after being forced to dock in Crete on March 23. The vessel was compelled to withdraw from the Middle East and operations against Iran following a fire that broke out in the ship's laundry room. However, according to information from Bloomberg, the problems facing this ultra-modern vessel run much deeper.
The Ford, delivered with a multi-year delay in May 2017, is the most expensive warship in US history, with costs amounting to $13.2 billion. Despite pending issues, the aircraft carrier has been deployed on extended missions, participating in operations linked to tensions in Venezuela and Iran, while questions remain open regarding its operational readiness in wartime conditions. According to a recent Pentagon assessment, identified problems range from severe to more mundane, with many emerging after the start of combat testing in October 2022.
Operationally… unfit
Among the primary concerns is the lack of sufficient data to evaluate the ship's "operational suitability," as well as the reliability of critical systems such as the aircraft launch and recovery mechanisms, radar, resistance to enemy strikes, and weapons elevators for moving munitions to the flight deck. The Pentagon testing agency points out that nine years after the ship's delivery, "sufficient evidence does not exist" to determine the operational effectiveness of the Ford class, due to a lack of realistic combat testing. This means it remains unclear whether the Ford—and subsequent ships of the same class not yet delivered—can detect, track, or intercept enemy aircraft, anti-ship missiles, or small attack craft. Furthermore, it is not clear how its systems will respond under the continuous pressure of war operations, such as successive take-offs and landings.
Abandoned the Red Sea
The ship, which had been dispatched to the Red Sea for operations against Iran, finally left the area not due to an enemy attack but because of the fire. The incident resulted in more than 200 sailors receiving medical care for smoke inhalation, as reported by Senator Tim Kaine in a letter to Navy Secretary John Phelan. The event highlighted the pressure facing even the most advanced assets of the US Navy at a time when the Donald Trump administration is pursuing a strategy of intense military presence to achieve geopolitical goals in regions like Iran and Venezuela. The Ford remained at sea for approximately nine months—since June 2025—exceeding the usual mission duration of seven months. According to Kaine, the ship is "on track to break the record for the longest aircraft carrier deployment since the end of the Vietnam War," with the crew forced to improvise due to failures in equipment and support systems.
No funding
Despite the fact that certain technical problems have been identified, they have not yet been resolved. Although defense capabilities against drones and high-speed attack boats were tested in 2022, necessary improvements to combat systems—recorded in classified reports—remain largely unfunded. Simultaneously, the report identifies practical issues, such as the lack of adequate living spaces for the crew, with a need for an additional 159 berths. The problem may worsen if the presence of F-35 fighters or personnel for operating Boeing MQ-25 Stingray refueling drones increases. "These shortages will affect the quality of life on the ship," the report concludes, painting a picture of significant challenges for the most ambitious US naval program.
"Ghost" aircraft carrier
Until recently, the American aircraft carrier was considered the most advanced in the world, a $13 billion "floating fortress." Today, however, it more closely resembles a ghost ship wandering the oceans. Following a nightmare 30-hour fire that started from a dryer vent (!), the pride of the US Navy is at its limits. While the ship breaks one record for time at sea after another—from the Caribbean to the Middle East—its infrastructure is collapsing. More than 600 sailors lost their bunks in the flames and are now piled on floors and tables while the vessel continues its war operations. From broken toilets to the fiery hell in the laundry rooms, the odyssey of the Ford is evolving into the greatest operational fiasco of our time.
Shocking revelation
It took more than 30 hours for sailors to extinguish the fire on the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford last week, sailors and military officials told the New York Times, as the long-suffering ship continued its months-long, grueling course in President Trump's military operations. The fire started in the ship's central laundry area last Thursday (12/3/2026). By the time it was put out, more than 600 sailors and crew members had lost their beds and have since been sleeping on floors and tables, officials reported. US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that two sailors were treated for "non-life-threatening injuries." Individuals on the ship reported that dozens of crew members experienced issues due to smoke inhalation. And in the category of non-life-threatening but certainly non-ideal conditions, many sailors have not been able to wash their clothes since the day of the fire.
The ship, along with its 4,500 sailors and fighter pilots, was in the Mediterranean on October 24 when US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered it to sail to the Caribbean to bolster President Trump's pressure campaign on Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, before his ousting. From the Caribbean, the aircraft carrier rushed to the Middle East for the US-Israeli war against Iran, which is now in its third week. Communication with sailors on aircraft carriers is difficult even under the best conditions. During a war, ships and military bases involved in operations observe radio silence ("go dark"), limiting the ability of military members to communicate with the outside world. The officials and sailors interviewed for this article spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak publicly. The Ford is now entering the 10th month of its mission. It will break the record for the longest aircraft carrier deployment since the Vietnam War if it is still at sea in mid-April. That record of 294 days was set by the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020.
Mission extension until May
Crew members on the Ford were informed that their mission will likely be extended until May, which would mean an entire year at sea—double the duration of a standard aircraft carrier mission. The Navy kept carriers in service for nine months at a time, sometimes slightly longer, during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, missions are usually not extended beyond six months. More than that, Navy experts say, is very difficult for both the ship and the crew. "Ships also get tired and wear out during long-term missions," said retired Rear Admiral John F. Kirby, a retired naval officer who served as a Pentagon spokesperson and national security spokesperson in the Biden administration. "You cannot operate a ship for that long and with such intensity and expect it and its crew to perform at the peak of their abilities." The Ford is conducting flight operations around the clock, Navy officials stated.
How the fire started
The fire, according to two officials, started in a dryer vent in the ship's laundry and spread quickly. Sailors fought the flames for more than 30 hours, officials and sailors reported. Central Command stated in its announcement that the fire caused "no damage to the ship's propulsion system and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational." The fire was only the latest in a series of maintenance problems on the Ford, the Navy's newest aircraft carrier. It had faced plumbing problems with its 650 toilets. NPR reported that the undersized and poorly designed toilet system breaks down frequently. A major maintenance and overhaul period that the Ford was scheduled to undergo early this year at the Newport News shipyard in Virginia has been postponed, military officials said. One military official stated that the Pentagon is aware the aircraft carrier is reaching the limits of its capabilities. He mentioned that the USS George H.W. Bush is preparing for a mission to the Middle East and will likely replace the Ford.
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