Reports indicate that President Trump is deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford, the globe’s largest battleship, to the Middle East. This formidable vessel is accompanied by a substantial fleet of aerial refueling tankers and advanced F-22 and F-35 fighter jets.
This significant military escalation suggests Trump may be gearing up for potential major strikes against Iran. Such action might be considered if ongoing high-stakes discussions regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its harsh response to protesters do not reach a satisfactory conclusion.
The nuclear-powered USS Gerald R. Ford, along with its carrier strike group, embarked on its journey from the Atlantic on Tuesday. The fleet is en route to the Strait of Gibraltar, which serves as the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea, as detailed by USNI.
Upon reaching its destination, it will join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Middle East, serving as a considerable show of strength amid the United States’ negotiations with Iran concerning its nuclear program.
As the most advanced and expansive aircraft carrier ever constructed, the Ford is capable of deploying over 75 aircraft. This includes the F-35C Lightning II stealth fighters, F/A-18F Super Hornets, and EA-18G Growler radar-jamming aircraft.
Accompanying the strike group are three destroyers: the USS Bainbridge, the USS Mahan, and the USS Winston Churchill. This powerful assembly underscores the U.S.’s strategic presence in the region.
The vessel had been operating in the Caribbean Sea since mid-November as part of the US naval force supporting Trump’s operations in the South American nation.
The Ford’s deployment comes as part of a new military build-up in the Middle East, with Trump refusing to leave an attack on Iran off the table as negotiations stall.
Along with the Lincoln, the US has four destroyers operating in the Arabian Sea, with another three patrolling in the Strait of Hormuz.
The USS Delbert Black destroyer is in the Red Sea, with two combat ships currently in the Persian Gulf.
The US has also moved more than 50 fighter jets to the Middle East on Tuesday as part of the military buildup, according to Axios.
The airfleet includes F-16 Falcons, F-22 Raptors and F-35 jets, according to independent flight trackers.
The latter jets have stealth capability that could allow them to strike Iran without being detected by the nation’s air defenses.
The jets would join other warplanes that have been moved in recent weeks, including attack fighters based in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
The mass deployment would allow the US to conduct airstrikes deep within Iran while also providing defensive cover for US troops and allies in the Middle East, experts previously told The Post.
Iran has repeatedly warned of retaliatory strikes on US troops and allies should America attack, with Tehran shutting down the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week to conduct live missile drills.
