U.S. Sends World's Largest Aircraft Carrier to Middle East as Iran Tensions Rise

The USS Gerald R. Ford joins the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group already positioned in the region.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The U.S. is deploying the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Middle East as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate. The Ford is joining the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group that is already positioned in the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) area. This represents a significant military buildup in the region by the Trump administration.

Why it matters

The deployment of the massive USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group to the Middle East is a clear signal of the U.S. military's readiness to project power and deter potential aggression from Iran. It comes as the Trump administration has taken an increasingly hardline stance towards Tehran, raising concerns about the potential for military conflict in the region.

The details

The USS Gerald R. Ford, which is the world's largest aircraft carrier, is being sent to the Middle East from the Caribbean, where it had been conducting operations. The carrier will join the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group that is already positioned in the Centcom area of operations. The Pentagon has declined to comment on the specific reasons for the deployment, but it comes after President Trump threatened earlier this week that he was considering sending another aircraft carrier to the region.

  • The USS Gerald R. Ford departed Norfolk, Virginia in June 2026.
  • The carrier was initially sent to Europe but was ordered to head to the Caribbean in early 2026.
  • The deployment to the Middle East is happening in February 2026 as tensions with Iran continue to escalate.

The players

USS Gerald R. Ford

The world's largest aircraft carrier, which is being deployed from the Caribbean to the Middle East.

USS Abraham Lincoln

A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike group that is already positioned in the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) area of operations in the Middle East.

President Donald Trump

The U.S. President who has taken a hardline stance towards Iran and threatened to send another aircraft carrier to the Middle East.

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What they’re saying

“We have an armada that is heading there, and another one might be going.”

— President Donald Trump (Axios)

What’s next

The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East is expected to further escalate tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The situation will be closely monitored by military and diplomatic officials, and the potential for military conflict remains a concern.

The takeaway

The U.S. is significantly bolstering its military presence in the Middle East by sending the world's largest aircraft carrier to the region, signaling a readiness to project power and deter potential aggression from Iran. This deployment underscores the Trump administration's hardline stance towards Tehran and the heightened risk of military confrontation in the region.