The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships will be redeployed from the Caribbean to the Middle East, sources said, reports The New York Times.

The aircraft carrier’s crew has been told it will join the US strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf.

The USS Gerald R. Ford had departed Norfolk, Virginia, USA in June 2025 and was sent to the Caribbean in October.

The aircraft carrier participated in the US military's assault on the Venezuelan capital Caracas and the January 3 operation to capture President Nicolas Maduro.

The crew of the USS Gerald R. Ford was scheduled to return to its base in Norfolk in early March of this year. But due to the redeployment, its crew will likely not return home until late April or early May, and this will prevent the aircraft carrier from being provided with necessary maintenance in a timely manner.