USS Gerald R. Ford carrier to stay out of service up to two years after March fire

In March 2026 a fire broke out in the laundry ventilation system of the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford while the carrier was crossing the Red Sea. The blaze burned for more than 30 hours, destroying large sections of crew berthing areas and leaving over 600 sailors without their bunks or personal effects. Two sailors received treatment for non‑life‑threatening injuries and several others were exposed to smoke. The ship’s nuclear propulsion remained intact, but the incident exposed failures in the onboard fire‑suppression system and other technical problems, such as waste‑water system breakdowns.

The Navy now plans an extensive overhaul that could keep the $13 billion super‑carrier out of action for 14 to 24 months. The carrier had completed an unprecedented 320‑day deployment, the longest for a U.S. carrier since the Vietnam War, after being diverted repeatedly to crises in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The prolonged use and the resulting repairs highlight concerns about the limited number of operational U.S. carriers and the strain on maintenance cycles.

The extended downtime is expected to affect fleet readiness and may prompt a review of deployment practices for the Navy’s limited carrier force.