USS Gerald R. Ford Reports Laundry Room Fire
The Nimitz Class carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) has suffered a fire in its onboard laundry facility, which has injured two crew members but not otherwise impaired operations of the carrier. In announcing the incident, CENTCOM emphasized that the cause of the fire was not combat-related and was contained. It said there is no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational.
The problem in the laundry comes on top of previously reported problems with blocked heads on board the carrier, possibly reflective of the extended deployment of the carrier and the build-up of maintenance problems. The new incident was confirmed by a post on X from Central Command, with suggestions that the fire was caused by faulty electrics. It said that two sailors were receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and were in stable condition.
USS Gerald R. Ford departed Norfolk, Virginia, on June 24, 2025, bound for Northern Europe and then the Mediterranean. She redeployed to the Caribbean in late 2025 and then back to the Mediterranean in the buildup for the attacks on Iran. Last Thursday, March 5, she transited the Suez Canal. With no end date in sight for her current deployment, it has been highlighted that she is rivaling Vietnam War deployments and is likely to set a modern record for days deployed.
In February, the U.S. Navy issued a statement commending the sailors for what it acknowledged was a challenging, extended deployment. It addressed the issues, writing, "Reports have raised concerns regarding shipboard systems, including sanitation. Navy officials state that Gerald R. Ford's systems are operating within expected parameters."
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At the time of the new incident, USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group was back operating in the northern Red Sea, having been seen several days before as far south as Jeddah. When the Ford passed through the Suez Canal last week, it was escorted by three Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers - USS Mahan (DDG-72), USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), and USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) – and by the Kaiser Class Oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO-196).
Rather than joining USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in the Arabian Sea, it appears as if Central Command is holding USS Gerald R. Ford in the northern Red Sea for better balance, and from there its carrier air wing could be optimally positioned tactically to address targets in northern Iran. Although from the Red Sea, the Ford will not be best positioned to join in the suppression of IRGC forces attacking targets in the Straits of Hormuz, it would be close at hand to counteract the threatened Houthi resumption of strikes on shipping in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
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