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USS Gerald R. Ford Fighter Squadrons Return After 11-Month Deployment
Six squadrons from Carrier Air Wing 8 returned to Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Air Station Oceana this week after an 11-month deployment aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford. The nuclear-powered carrier has been at sea for 323 days, the longest deployment for a U.S. nuclear-powered supercarrier.
May 13, 8:47 AM·2m read1 source
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Six squadrons from Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8) returned this week to their home bases in Virginia after an 11-month deployment aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78). Naval Air Force Atlantic reported that Strike Fighter Squadrons VFA-213 "Black Lions," VFA-37 "Ragin’ Bulls," VFA-87 "Golden Warriors," and VFA-31 "Tomcatters" landed at Naval Air Station Oceana on May 11.
Airborne Command and Control Squadron VAW-124 "Bear Aces" and Fleet Logistics Support Squadron VRC-40 "Rawhides" returned to Naval Station Norfolk. The squadrons had been assigned to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier since it departed for the deployment.
As of May 13, the USS Gerald R. Ford has spent 323 days at sea. That marks the longest deployment of any U.S. aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War and the longest for a nuclear-powered supercarrier. The carrier is expected to arrive at Naval Station Norfolk later this month.
Operations Across Multiple Regions The Gerald R.
Ford Carrier Strike Group operated in the U.S. 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility during the deployment. The air wing supported Operation Epic Fury in the Middle East this winter and spring. It also conducted operations in the High North with NATO partners last fall, in the Mediterranean Sea, and in the Caribbean as part of Operation Southern Spear to counter illicit narcotics trafficking from Latin America.
The squadrons logged more than 5,500 flight hours and conducted more than 11,800 launches and recoveries. In February, while the carrier was in the Caribbean Sea, CVW-8 performed a formation flight over the ship during an aerial change of command ceremony.
