World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier, Strike Group Return from Historic 11-Month Deployment

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World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier, Strike Group Return from Historic 11-Month Deployment

NORFOLK, Va. – Nearly 4,500 Sailors of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group aboard USS Gerald R.
NORFOLK, Va. (May 16, 2026) – Aircrew Survival Equipmentman 2nd Class Ireland Lowe, assigned to the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), hugs her family on the pier at Naval Station Norfolk, May 16, 2026, following a historic 11-month deployment to U.S. 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleets as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. Before returning to Norfolk after 326 days, the Gerald R. Ford crew conducted 23 replenishments-at-sea and sailed over 57,713 nautical miles. Embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 logged more than 5,760 flight hours and 12,200 flight launches. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Clay M. Whaley)

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