The U.S. Navy’s newest and largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is being prepared for deployment in the Mediterranean and is expected to head toward Iran soon, according to reports from The New York Times and CNN.In response to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, the United States has activated its military bases in the Middle East. Additionally, it has begun reorganizing military equipment in the region by bringing in weapons from abroad. The latest development is the impending deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford.CNN’s senior correspondent Zachary Cohen reported on Wednesday (June 18), citing U.S. sources, that the 1,100-foot nuclear-powered flagship carrier is expected to be sent to Europe by next week. It would be the third U.S. aircraft carrier deployed in the region.According to sources, the $13 billion carrier was likely scheduled for deployment in the Mediterranean last year, but its current redeployment is drawing special attention due to the heightened global tension surrounding the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. The deployment of the Gerald R. Ford is being seen as a display of U.S. military power in the Middle East.The Ford will join the USS Carl Vinson, already stationed in the Persian Gulf, and the USS Nimitz, which was recently ordered to move from Southeast Asia earlier this week.Earlier, The Washington Post, citing the U.S. Navy, reported that the USS Thomas Hudner, a destroyer capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, has been ordered to move from the western to the eastern Mediterranean. Another missile destroyer has also been instructed to advance so it can be ready at the request of the White House.
