USS Gerald R. Ford arrives in Piraeus, Greece

The U.S. Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and embarked staff from Carrier Strike Group 12 arrived in Piraeus, Greece, for a scheduled port visit, July 27.

This port visit is the capital ship’s second stop while deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations and provides an opportunity to enhance the strong partnership between U.S. and Greece.

Gerald R. Ford deployed from Norfolk, Virginia on May 2 and has been conducting joint and combined training, exercises, and operations to support maritime stability and security, and defense of U.S., Allied and Partner interests. The Gerald R. Ford CSG sailed along-side NATO’s Standing NATO Maritime Group One for several days since NATO allies and partners take every opportunity to train together to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures to increase interoperability.

Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier. As the first-in-class ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap in the U.S. Navy’s capacity to project power on a global scale. Ford-class aircraft carriers introduce 23 new technologies, including Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, Advanced Arresting Gear and Advanced Weapons Elevators. The new systems incorporated onto Ford-class ships are designed to deliver greater lethality, survivability and joint interoperability with a 20% smaller crew than a Nimitz-class carrier, paving the way forward for naval aviation.

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