US Swaps Aircraft Carrier for Amphibious Ready Group in Red Sea
Published on January 2, 2024
The United States is adjusting its force posture in the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea as it contends with continued terror attacks on commercial shipping in the region. The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is returning to Norfolk, Virginia, to “prepare for future deployments” after more than a year at sea, according to a statement by the Navy’s Sixth Fleet, which oversees operations in the Mediterranean. The Ford is the nation’s latest and most advanced aircraft carrier. It began its first deployment in October 2022, when it was assigned to train alongside NATO partners in the Atlantic. That deployment was extended by months, however, following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Hamas terror group....