The United States Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest and most powerful aircraft carrier, has conducted weapons qualifications while on deployment with its strike group in waters near Europe.
According to the U.S. Navy, Gunner’s Mate 1st Class William Sluyter oversaw Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Joshua Underhill as he fired an M2 .50 calibre machine gun from the carrier’s deck during a live-fire exercise on 16 August, pictured above. The ship is deployed as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group Twelve.
The exercise is part of the ship’s scheduled operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility, which covers Europe and Africa. The U.S. Navy says the aim is to “support the warfighting effectiveness, lethality, and readiness of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and defend U.S., Allied, and partner interests in the region.”
On 15 August, flight operations were also underway when Lieutenant Tom Sandford of the Air Department signalled the launch of an F/A-18E Super Hornet belonging to Strike Fighter Squadron 87 from the ship’s flight deck.
That launch came shortly before the strike group’s high-profile passage through the Strait of Dover into the North Sea on 17 August. It was the first time a U.S. carrier strike group had transited the Channel since the Harry S. Truman group in October 2024.
Captain Dave Skarosi, Gerald R. Ford’s commanding officer, described the move as a demonstration of U.S. naval reach. “Gerald R. Ford’s agile transit through the Strait of Dover between England and France is a testament to our power projection capability that supports peace through strength,” he said. “Our skilled navigation team ensures that the world’s largest aircraft carrier brings our capability as a forward-positioned force anytime, anyplace, to defend the Euro-Atlantic region from hostile action.”
A U.S. Navy statement said the deployment highlights both deterrence and alliance obligations. “The inherent flexibility and scalable maritime force that GRFCSG provides to the NATO Alliance is unrivaled, and their continued operations in the U.S. European Command area of operation reinforces the U.S. Navy’s ironclad commitment to the stability and security of the European theater,” the release noted.
Captain Mark Lawrence, commodore of Destroyer Squadron Two, underscored the wider message. “A free and open maritime domain benefits all nations. Our collective surface force’s transit into the North Sea demonstrates our resolve to strengthen peace, stability, and deterrence across the European continent.”
USS Gerald R. Ford is the lead ship of its class and the first new U.S. aircraft carrier design in more than 40 years. At over 100,000 tonnes displacement, it is the largest warship in the world and carries a full air wing, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, and advanced surveillance and support aircraft.
Its latest drills underline the day-to-day readiness demands of keeping such a force deployed, not only for show but for immediate combat effectiveness if required. The presence of the carrier and its escorts in European waters highlights Washington’s emphasis on maintaining a visible and capable naval posture in the Euro-Atlantic region.
Pfft.
Even our Rivers are more powerfull than that.
It does say a lot for the longevity of the Browning M2 that apart from the gunner’s head gear that imagine wouldn’t look out of place in a WW2 photo…
They should at least be firing a phasor cannon 🙂
Cheers CR
Yes but why is he wearing a Parachute ?
Maybe he’s an “Air Gunner” ?
🙂 I see what you mean… What on earth is that lot? May be he is stood on an ejector platform in case he missing the incoming threat, biong 🙂
Cheers CR
PS. Mrs CR suggests that he is carrying his packed lunch..!
Looks like the fat guy has eaten it. 😁
Not all fat guys are American, but many American guys are fat.
🙂 I saw that one coming, but laughed anyway 🙂
It’s all a bit of fun, I love acting the halfwit on here and It’s so nice when others loosen up a bit as well.
Laughter makes the World a better place.
Fancy a River could take on the Ford.
Technically a “Ford” is but a small “River”.
Well really it’s the shallow place in the river you can walk across… tread carefully as you navigate the rivers class conundrum.
Ha, You never been to Tarr Steps then !!!
Tarr steps is a bridge with a Fordy bit… it’s a bit nackered at present a bit like the USS G R Ford. One thing it does have the USS G R F does not have is a lovely pub.
I’ve driven through it several times in my Youth and ridden across it a few times too. The bridge is often damaged by the raging river but each stone is numbered. Haven’t been there for @ ten years now, must go again sometime soon.
Give it a year or so Hinds Pitt bridge is closed and needs replacing so the circular walk is closed for the foreseeable.
So I read a while back. Are you a local ? I live a fair way away but absolutely love that whole area, spent many years on Foot, Horse, Bike and Car there. Can’t beat Exmoor on a Horse.
About half an hours drive from exmoor so tend to get there a few times each summer.. had to pick about 10 ticks off the kids last time as it’s been a bad tick year so not done so much walking around exmoor this year, will go for a few hikes in the winter months ..less ticks and tourist’s, love a bit of winter hill walking.
Lucky chap, Winter hikes are great, less ticks ! Have you walked the Barle ? or the 3 hills, Holdstone and the Hangmans ? how about the Doone Valley, Robbers Bridge, Horner Woods, Dunkery ? I bet you have.
Pretty much walked around most of exmoor to be honest, love dragging the kids around.. been doing it since I was a nipper with the scouts many many moons ago.. as for ticks record was a friend of my daughters who managed to get 26 of the things last year.. it’s really brutal for ticks on exmoor at present, global warming apparently.
Barle Valley Is my fav relaxing walk, just lovely, cus you can have a swim. A good one if you get a chance is the south west coastal path heading south from lynton, it’s brilliant cliff walks that go strait down to to the sea, nice stop off and walk around the valley of the rocks ( otherwise known as goat valley) then hike along the coast to Heddons mouth , do the national trust walk around the valley, eat national trust food, pub..then head back to lynton for fish and chips dinner.. total about 6.6 miles to heddon mouth, 2.5 miles walk around heddons valley, then 6.6 miles back to lynton.. it’s a brilliant walk.
Done that a few times too. Lunch at Foxhunters. Also Walked from Pinkery Pond, along the Chains to Hoare Oak, down into Simonsbath, along the Barle to Cow Castle, all the way to Exford. That was epic I wild camped for a week with my German Shepherd. If you have done the Lynton part you will have done Haliday Hill and The Valley of Rocks. How about Sherrycombe Falls ? It’s the valley between Holdstone and Great Hangman, bit of a scramble but you end up at the cliff edge and the 70ft waterfall. One of my fav places. I’ve also walked the SW Coastal Path pretty much from Lands End to Minehead. The North Cornwall/Devon/Somerset coast is amazing.
That’s It, you made me want to go there now !
Is that opens fire in Europe, or on Europe?