USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group Enters Caribbean Amid Anti-Narcotics Operation

The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group has transited the Anegada Passage and entered the Caribbean Sea to support Operation Southern Spear, a mission aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations and countering narco-terrorism.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the operation's focus on the Western Hemisphere, referring to it as "America's neighborhood."

The USS Gerald R. Ford, commissioned in 2017, is the lead ship of its class and the world's largest aircraft carrier. It features advanced technologies, including the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), and can carry over 75 aircraft.

The carrier strike group includes nine carrier airwing squadrons, two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, and an integrated air and missile defense command ship.

This deployment marks a significant escalation of U.S. military presence in the region, with nearly 20% of the Navy's deployed warships now operating in the Caribbean.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the U.S. of fabricating a pretext for aggression, criticizing what he described as a "fabricated and criminal narrative."

The U.S. has also increased the reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million, accusing him of drug trafficking—a charge he denies.

The USS Gerald R. Ford's deployment underscores the U.S. commitment to addressing security challenges in the Western Hemisphere and protecting the American homeland.