Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
USS Gerald R. Ford Enters Caribbean Sea
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) entered the Caribbean Sea on November 16, 2025, to bolster U.S. Southern Command presence.
The carrier strike group — led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and sailing with more than 4,000 sailors and dozens of tactical aircraft — transited the Anegada Passage on November 16, 2025.
Officials say the deployment augments U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) activity in the region and includes Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Carrier Air Wing Eight. The group previously operated in the Atlantic, Arctic and Mediterranean, taking part in NATO exercises and a series of European port calls before the transoceanic voyage to the Caribbean.
What USS Gerald R. Ford brings to the Caribbean
The operation, described in U.S. reports as the largest naval buildup in the region in generations, includes joint drills with Trinidad and Tobago to address violent crime and illicit trafficking. The presence has drawn strong reactions from Venezuela and regional observers.
- Key elements: USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Carrier Air Wing Eight, multiple Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, 4,000+ sailors and dozens of tactical aircraft.
- Transit: Anegada Passage into the Caribbean Sea on November 16, 2025.
- Scope: SOUTHCOM support, counter-narcotics and joint exercises with regional partners.
Details on specific flight operations, aircraft models aboard Carrier Air Wing Eight, and exact destroyer hull numbers were not released in available reports. The deployment underscores continued U.S. Navy focus on maritime security and partner engagement in the Caribbean basin.
