The United States has deployed a carrier strike group led by the world’s largest warship to the eastern Mediterranean in response to Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, is headed to the region as part of a carrier strike group comprised of the military’s most advanced equipment, including a fleet of destroyers, guided-missile cruisers and fighter jets.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the deployment on Sunday, hours after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel that has killed hundreds of people, including at least 260 people at a festival near the Gaza border. Israel has declared war on Hamas and is ready to invade Gaza.
America’s deployment of its most sophisticated and expensive military equipment marks a major show of force and comes alongside the promise of arms and equipment to the Israel Defense Forces.
A carrier strike group is a naval force consisting of an aircraft carrier at its center along with a fleet of support ships and often attack submarines. The United States has 11 air strike groups, each with enough firepower to deal with the forces of many small and medium-sized countries.
The United States has deployed a carrier strike group led by the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest warship, to the eastern Mediterranean in response to Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, has been deployed to the eastern Mediterranean in response to Hamas’ attack on Israel.
F-18 jet fighters are seen on the flight deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford on November 17, 2022 in Gosport, England
The USS Gerald R. Ford, which cost approximately $18 billion to develop — including $4.7 billion in research and development and $12.8 billion in construction — can carry up to 90 aircraft, including the most advanced fighter jets of the army.
The carrier, which is powered by two nuclear engines that can run for 25 years without refueling, is accompanied in the Mediterranean by a fleet that includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy and the guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner.
Aircraft aboard the carrier include F-35 fighter jets, which cost about $100 million each and carry radar-guided missiles and laser-guided bombs, along with attack helicopters and tactical surveillance aircraft.
In total, about 7,500 personnel work in the carrier strike group.
In a statement announcing the deployment, General Michael ‘Erik’ Kurilla, commander of US Central Command, said America “stands firmly with our Israeli and regional partners to address the risks of any side seeking to escalate the conflict.”
The USS Gerald R. Ford can carry up to 90 aircraft, including the F-35 stealth fighter jet
US Navy MH-60 Seahawk helicopters can also be deployed from the USS Gerald R. Ford
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, pictured left in March with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, said America could ‘further enhance’ its military presence in the region ‘if required’
Austin added: “The US maintains globally ready forces to further strengthen this deterrence posture if required.”
Hamas has called the US decision to send the strike group “participation in aggression against our people” and “an attempt to boost the morale of the crumbling Israeli army”.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, whose first deployment was in October 2022, marks a new era for aircraft carriers and is the largest warship in the world, at 256 feet wide, 250 feet long and 1,106 feet in length . She has a crew of about 4,500.
Its firepower is primarily defensive and includes four surface-to-air missile systems and a variety of weapons, including the Phalanx CIWS radar-guided cannon system. Offensive capabilities are provided by the fleet of aircraft and support ships.
The ship was already close to the region around Israel after recently conducting operations near the Strait of Sicily. She was due to visit the French ports of Marseille and Toulon before the carrier strike group was dispatched to the Mediterranean.
F18 jets on the flight deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford, which is the largest warship in the world
The United States has pledged its full support for Israel following an unprecedented series of attacks by Hamas that began on Saturday. Pictured: Israelis walk near a police station in Sderot that was destroyed during a battle after Hamas militants took over the building
Israeli soldier drives armored vehicles heading towards the southern border with the Gaza Strip on October 8, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. The nation is preparing a full counteroffensive against the terrorist organization, including an invasion of Gaza
People stand among the ruins of a mosque destroyed during Israeli airstrikes, in Gaza City on October 9, 2023
Other ships deployed as part of the strike group include:
- Guided missile cruiser USS Normandy
- Destroyer USS Thomas Hudner
- USS Ramage guided missile destroyer
- Destroyer USS Carney
- Destroyer USS Roosevelt
The capabilities of these ships range from anti-ship, anti-aircraft and ground-targeting firepower to electronic warfare and surveillance.
The USS Ramage, which is believed to have cost more than $1 billion and was launched in 1994, has Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, cruise missiles and torpedoes. The USS Thomas Hudner, which was built under a $663 million contract and launched in 2017, is also equipped with guns, missiles and torpedoes.
The F-35 fighter jets launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford can reach speeds of 1,200 mph and can be equipped with guns, missiles and bombs. They have a range of about 1200 miles.
Senior Pentagon and State Department officials briefed senators on Sunday night, and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said they were confident the United States was giving “everything they needed.”
Hamas attacks on Israel have been compared to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
The US Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy, pictured in 2018, is part of the carrier strike group that is underway in the eastern Mediterranean
F-18 jet fighters are seen on the flight deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford on November 17, 2022 in Gosport, England
Israel has responded by ordering a ‘total encirclement’ of the Gaza Strip, cutting off food and electricity as it prepares for a massive ground offensive.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have already responded with a series of massive airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, which had hit more than 1,000 Hamas targets by Monday morning.
The Hamas attack and Israel’s response have left more than 1,100 dead and thousands injured on both sides.
The State Department said Monday that at least nine American citizens were killed in Hamas’ weekend attacks on Israel, raising the toll from four.
He said an undetermined number of American citizens remain missing and unaccounted for. On Sunday, an official said the number was fluid and ranged from six to 12. It was not clear whether the missing had been taken hostage, killed or were in hiding.
The State Department is in contact with the families “and is providing all appropriate consular assistance,” spokesman Matthew Miller said.
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Inside America’s $18B show of force: USS Gerald R. Ford leads strike group of F-35 stealth fighter jets and fleet of warships deployed in response to Israel attacks – with enough firepower to rival entire nations
