USS Gerald Ford, the nuclear giant that the United States has deployed near Venezuela: The largest aircraft carrier in the world
The US Navy has deployed this warship in the Caribbean, with a capacity for 90 aircraft.
The United States has kept a massive aircraft carrier deployed in the Caribbean, off the coast of Venezuela, for nearly two months. It is the USS Gerald Ford, considered the largest aircraft carrier in the world. The ship was designed to increase mission generation rates and optimise the US Navy’s ability to project air power. It played a key role in the US attack on Caracas on January 3 which saw President Nicolás Maduro and his wife captured.
The aircraft carrier is 333 metres long, can carry more than 75 aircraft, and is equipped with a wide array of weaponry, including RIM-162 SeaSparrow Evolved missiles, RIM-116 missiles, Phalanx close-in weapon systems, and Mk 38 machine guns for short-range defence. This arsenal is complemented by the AN/SPY-6 electronically scanned array radar, which provides comprehensive situational awareness and threat tracking. The ship can accommodate 4,550 people, expandable to as many as 6,000.
Named after the 38th President of the United States, the USS Gerald Ford required a budget of $13 billion and represented a major leap forward compared to the Nimitz-class carriers. It was completed in 2013 and delivered to the US Navy in 2017. Classified as a supercarrier, it has a maximum speed of 30 knots, or 56 kilometres per hour.
One of the ship’s most distinctive features is its aircraft launch capability, enabled by the EMALS system, or Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System. This catapult uses a linear induction motor to generate a magnetic field, allowing aircraft to be launched every 45 seconds and supporting the deployment of heavier aircraft. The system also enables the launch of drones.
Beyond fighter jets, the USS Gerald Ford operates a wide range of aircraft, including early warning platforms, tankers, anti-submarine warfare aircraft, cargo transport planes, and electronic warfare assets.
“The objective of the USS Gerald Ford is to support the effectiveness, lethality and war readiness of the naval forces, and to defend the interests of the United States, its allies and its partners in the region,” said Sammie Smith, Air Command Petty Officer First Class.
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Since its appearance in Caribbean waters, the USS Gerald Ford has generated unease in Venezuela, particularly under Maduro, who views it as a tool of intimidation. Ultimately, the United States has decided to attack the government in Caracas, which it labels a “narco-state.”
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