US aircraft carrier Ford, deployed in war with Iran, will temporarily return to port

(Patria) - The American aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, deployed in operations against Iran, is expected to temporarily withdraw to port after a fire on board, US officials said on Tuesday, the eighteenth day of the war with Tehran, Reuters reported.

The aircraft carrier, the newest and largest in the US and the world, is currently in the Red Sea. It is expected to temporarily go to Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete, two officials said.

The warship has been deployed for nine months, including participation in operations against Venezuela in the Caribbean before arriving in the Middle East. The length of the deployment has raised questions about the morale of the sailors on board and the readiness of the warship.

Officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not say how long the Ford is expected to stay in Crete.

One of the officials said that nearly 200 sailors were treated for smoke-related injuries when a fire broke out in the ship's main laundry. It took hours to bring the fire under control and it affected about 100 berths.

One military member was evacuated from the ship due to injuries, an official said. The New York Times first reported the extent of the damage to the warship.

After the fire initially broke out, the US military said there was no damage to the ship's propulsion system and that the aircraft carrier was fully operational.
The United States has carried out attacks on more than 7,000 targets since the beginning of the attacks on Iran on February 28.

The Ford, with more than 5,000 sailors on board, has more than 75 military aircraft, including fighter jets like the F-18 Super Hornets. The Ford has sophisticated radar that can help control air traffic and navigation.

Support ships, such as the Ticonderoga-class missile cruiser Normandy, Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyers Thomas Hudner, Ramage, Carney, and Roosevelt, include capabilities for anti-air, surface-to-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.