The TWZ Newsletter<\/p>\n
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s TWZ\u2019s weekly carrier tracker monitoring America\u2019s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG), using publicly available open-source information. Check out last week\u2019s map here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Ford is finally home. The supercarrier, with nearly 4,500 Sailors aboard, pulled into Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday<\/a>, greeted by hundreds of families and friends after completing a grueling 326-day combat deployment. The well-deserved homecoming capped the longest deployment in more than five decades<\/a>, which was extended multiple times to support operations across two continents and combatant commands.<\/p>\n Ford, the world\u2019s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, departed Virginia almost a year ago for, what was at the time, a routine deployment to Europe. The deployment turned out to be anything but when Ford was redirected to the Caribbean in November ahead of Operation Absolute Resolve. Following the successful extraction of President Nicolas Maduro out of Venezuela<\/a>, and despite pushback from top Navy brass to come home<\/a>, the CSG crossed the Atlantic again to project power and pressure from the eastern Mediterranean and northern Red Sea during Operation Epic Fury<\/a> against Iran. Overall, Ford sailed over 57,000 nautical miles, logged more than 5,700 flight hours, and conducted 12,000+ aircraft launches. Upon arrival in Norfolk, Carrier Strike Group 12 was presented with the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor a military unit can receive.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, three other carriers conducting routine operations and work-ups returned to their respective homeports with much less fanfare. USS George Washington, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and USS Theodore Roosevelt, each at various stages of training prior to future deployments, pulled into Yokosuka, Norfolk, and San Diego, respectively, over the past week.<\/p>\n The Navy\u2019s only forward-deployed carrier, USS George Washington, completed a weeklong shakedown cruise after a brief pierside availability. In response to unconfirmed reports the flattop was in maintenance, a George Washington spokesperson told TWZ the \u201cU.S. Navy\u2019s forward-deployed aircraft carrier conducts short maintenance availabilities between patrols to service critical systems and conduct repairs\u201d and was recently \u201cunderway conducting routine operations to sharpen our Sailors\u2019 warfighting edge.\u201d Regardless of her past status, Washington is operational today and preparing for an upcoming WESTPAC patrol.<\/p>\n The U.S. maintains a considerable naval fleet in the Middle East enforcing the ongoing blockade of Iran. Two CSGs and one ARG \u2013 more than 20 warships in total \u2013 continue operations in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR). Another ARG, led by USS Boxer, is nearby in the Indian Ocean operating under U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) as of May 16<\/a>, but, as we have noted previously, the group could enter CENTCOM at any time. U.S. forces have redirected 81 commercial vessels and disabled four attempting to run the blockade to date, according to the latest press release from CENTCOM<\/a>.<\/p>\n U.S. Sailors support flight operations aboard aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) sailing in the Arabian Sea. Every operational success across CENTCOM begins and ends with America\u2019s men and women in uniform. pic.twitter.com\/PjmByqI4jC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Note: Positions are general approximations.\u00a0Non-deployed LHA\/LHD amphibious warships are not shown.<\/p>\n Contact the author:\u00a0ian.ellis-jones@teamrecurrent.io<\/p>\n \t\t