The US has extended the deployment in the Eastern Mediterranean of a strike group led by the world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford at a cost of more than $13 billion

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) will not be coming home for the time being. The carrier's mission in Europe began this spring and has been extended by the US Department of Defence.

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Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin decided to extend the deployment of the world's largest aircraft carrier. The ship, worth more than $13bn, will remain to carry out missions in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The aircraft carrier arrived in the region from the Adriatic along with the entire strike group, which includes five Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and a missile cruiser. By the way, the USS Carney (DDG 64) had repelled a missile attack near the coast of Yemen the day before.

It was originally expected that USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) would go home and be replaced by USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). However, the US Department of Defence changed plans because of the war between Hamas and Israel. Now there will be two US aircraft carriers in the region at once.

In addition, the US decided to move closer to Israel several warships that were in the Middle East. In particular, we are talking about USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), USS Bataan (LHD 5) and USS Cartel Hall (LSD 50).

Source: USNI News