US sends surprise warning to Russia with top war aircraft carrier in the North Sea
The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, the largest in the world at 337 meters in length, has begun military exercises in the area this week.
Escorted by the U.S. Navy’s Second Destroyer Squadron, the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier at 1106 feet long, set course for the North Sea.
The deployment was carried out to conduct military exercises in the region. For now, the duration of these exercises is unknown, ahead of Quadriga 2025, which will take place from late August through mid-September.
With a displacement of approximately 100,000 tons and a speed exceeding 30 knots—over 35 miles per hour—it has an operational lifespan of 25 to 30 years, making it the most modern and advanced warship in the world.
It is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and can carry more than 75 aircraft. Onboard are airplanes and helicopters from Embarked Air Wing 8, according to Kieler Nachrichten. In fact, this is not the first time the Gerald R. Ford has conducted maneuvers in the North Sea.
In October 2023, the U.S. decided to deploy the aircraft carrier to participate in the Air Defender exercises of the Atlantic Alliance, involving 25 countries, including Spain, and more than 10,000 military personnel. Up to 250 aircraft were deployed.
Washington’s decision to move the carrier to the North Sea comes just days before Russia begins its Zapad exercises on September 12, which are also expected to involve more than 12,000 Belarusian troops.
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