The US aircraft carrier Gerald Ford has arrived at a Greek port for maintenance following a fire two weeks ago. The military confirmed the fire was not the result of any attack.
The US Navy announced on Monday, 23 Mar 2026 GMT+7, that the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford reached Souda Bay on the island of Crete, Greece, for maintenance and repairs after a fire broke out in the ship’s laundry area. Prior to the fire, this carrier had taken part in US operations against Iran.
The Navy’s statement said the fire on 12 Mar was unrelated to combat and that this state-of-the-art aircraft carrier “remains fully mission capable.”
Previously, CNN reported the Gerald Ford was heading toward Souda Bay, where a US official said the ship would make a “short” stop. The Navy’s statement said the ship will undergo performance evaluation, repairs, and resupply.
The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford was commissioned in June last year. It was initially deployed to the Caribbean amid tensions with Venezuela and is now stationed in the Middle East as part of operations related to the conflict with Iran.
According to USNI News, if the ship remains in service until mid-April, it could break the record for the longest deployment of an aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War era.
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. Source:cnn