NORFOLK, Va. — The U.S. Navy announced Monday that the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is officially heading home, bringing an end to what has been described as the Navy’s longest aircraft carrier deployment since the Vietnam War.
In a social media post on Monday, the Navy said squadrons from Carrier Air Wing 8 have already started returning to their home bases, while the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and ships assigned to Destroyer Squadron 2 are expected to arrive in the coming days to conclude the deployment officially.
The Norfolk-based carrier strike group deployed in June 2025 and spent nearly 11 months overseas supporting U.S. national security and maritime operations…