The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is the largest warship ever constructed, measuring 1,106 feet (337 meters) long and displacing over 100,000 tons. This $13 billion nuclear-powered supercarrier holds up to 90 aircraft and a crew of about 4,500.
reactors — displaces 100,000 long tons when fully loaded, is more than 1,100 feet (335 meters) long and can sail at more than 34 miles (55 kilometers) per hour.
The ship is crewed by more than 4,000 sailors, carries dozens of warplanes, and is currently accompanied by three guided missile destroyers.
Eight months at sea
The Ford has been at sea for more than eight months — a deployment that has already seen it take part in US operations in the Caribbean, where Washington’s forces have carried out strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats, interdicted sanctioned tankers and seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
The carrier has suffered significant problems with its toilet system while at sea, with US media reporting clogs and long lines for restrooms on the ship.
The issue is not new — a 2020 report from the US Government Accountability Office said the ship’s toilet system was subject to “unexpected and frequent clogging” and requires acid flushes on a regular basis to clear it, at a cost of $400,000 each time.
The Navy acknowledged the reports of toilet problems in a statement on Thursday, but cited ship leadership as saying that “clog incidents are addressed promptly by trained damage control and engineering personnel, with minimal downtime.”
Middle East deployment
The Ford spent about three months in the Caribbean before Trump ordered it to sail for the Middle East earlier this month as tensions with Iran rose.
It entered the Mediterranean on February 20, then sailed to the Greek island of Crete, where it took on food, fuel and ammunition at Souda Bay before departing on Thursday.
Satellite imagery showed the ship around 410 miles (660 kilometers) from the Israeli port city of Haifa
source France 24.com
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