An F/A-18 taxis before flight aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) during Operation Epic Fury March 6, 2026. (U.S. Navy)
NAPLES, Italy — USS Gerald R. Ford is at a Navy base in the Mediterranean Sea for repairs and maintenance following a fire aboard the carrier earlier this month during operations in the Middle East.
The Ford arrived at U.S. Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete on Monday following operations in the Red Sea, the U.S. 6th Fleet said in a statement the same day. It was operating in support of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing joint American and Israeli military campaign against Iran.
The port call in Greece allows the carrier to “undergo efficient assessment, repairs, and resupply,” the 6th Fleet said, adding that the Ford remains “fully mission capable.”
Ford’s arrival at NSA Souda Bay follows a March 12 fire that started in the carrier’s main laundry areas. The fire was fully contained the same day, the Navy said at the time.
Three sailors aboard the ship were injured as a result of the blaze. None of the injuries were life-threatening, and two of the sailors have since returned to duty, while the third was in stable condition last week after being flown off the ship for treatment.
Officials have released few details on the cause of the fire, only saying that it is under investigation. It did not impact the ship’s propulsion plant, the service has said.
The Navy also has not said if the fire impacted crew living quarters, but there are indications it may have displaced hundreds of sailors, potentially destroying bedding and personal possessions.
The New York Times reported last week that more than 600 sailors and crew members had been uprooted by the fire, sleeping on the floor and on tables. It took more than 30 hours to fully extinguish the fire, according to the report.
The U.S. 6th Fleet did not reference the fire in its statement but did say that the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group continues its overseas deployment.
The carrier, which deployed from its homeport in Norfolk, Va., in late June with nearly 4,500 personnel aboard, has been deployed for nine months.
The Ford had been in the Red Sea since transiting the Suez Canal on March 5.