The U.S. Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is en route to the U.S. naval base at Souda Bay, Crete, for repairs following a significant fire that broke out aboard the ship last week.
According to reports, the fire occurred on March 12 in the carrier’s aft laundry facility, triggering an extensive damage control operation that lasted several hours and disrupted ship operations. The incident resulted in one sailor being medically evacuated (now in stable condition) and two others treated for lacerations. More than 200 sailors were treated for smoke inhalation but returned to duty.
The carrier will undergo more than a week of pierside repairs at Souda Bay, a key U.S. naval facility in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Impact on Crew and Operations
Smoke damage affected multiple berthing areas, leading to the loss of over 100 racks (beds). The Navy sourced replacement mattresses from the future USS John F. Kennedy and distributed nearly 2,000 sets of clothing to the crew due to laundry services being out of commission.
Despite the challenges, the carrier continues to carry out U.S. Central Command missions in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury.
A Pentagon spokesperson highlighted the resilience of the crew, stating: “The resiliency and mental grit of our Sailors has enabled USS Gerald R. Ford to support ongoing operations.”
Deployment Context
As of mid-March 2026, the Ford had been deployed for 266 days. If the carrier remains at sea through mid-April, it will surpass the post-Vietnam War record for the longest carrier deployment (294 days, set by USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020).
The USS Gerald R. Ford is the world’s largest aircraft carrier and has been operating with escort destroyers in the Red Sea region.