Last update on Oct.23, 2024
Aircraft Carrier Locations
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)

Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding
Locations and Remarks
Actual construction is to begin in 3 January 2007
at Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Newport News shipyard.

11Aug2005, construction began
16Jun2006,
An amendment added
to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2007
proposes that CVN-78,
the first ship in the CVN-78 class,
be named for the 38th president "Gerald Ford"
05Sep2006,
The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)
and the Program Executive Officer (PEO)
held a signature and awards ceremony
at the Washington Navy Yard
to commemorate the certification
of the ship specifications
16Jan2007,
held the official naming ceremony
of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78),
the first aircraft carrier in the Ford class of carriers
10Sep2008,
The Navy awarded Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding
a $5.1 billion contract to begin construction
14Nov2009,
the keel laying and authentication ceremony
24May2012,
The final keel section,
680-metric-ton, 60-foot-tall lower bow unit
was joined to the other keel sections
and was the last major section of the ship installed
below the waterline
11Jul2013,
welded a time capsule inside the flight deck control room
11Oct2013,
flooded Dry Dock 12 to float the first in PCU Gerald R. Ford
09Nov2013,
held a christening ceremony
at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding
in Newport News
17Nov2013,
launch and transit to Newport News Shipyard pier 3
for the final stages of construction and testing
12May2015,
completed 22 no-load tests
of Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS)

08Apr2017,
departed Huntington Ingalls Industries - Newport News Shipbuilding
08Apr-14Apr2017,
Builder's Sea Trials, off the coast of North Carolina
14Apr2017, returned to Newport News Shipbuilding
24May2017, departed Newport News Shipbuilding
24May-26May2017,
acceptance trials by the Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) in the Atlantic Ocean
26May2017, returned to Newport News Shipbuilding
31May2017, delivered to the U.S. Navy
CVW not assigned
Locations and Remarks
Home Port : Norfolk, Va.
22Jul2017,
45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump
christened the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) at the christening ceremony
at Newport News Shipbuilding
28Jul2017, departed Norfolk
29Jul2017, returned to Norfolk
02Aug2017, departed Norfolk
02Aug-16Aug2017,
testing and evaluation operations off the Virginia coast
17Aug2017, returned to Norfolk
30Sep2017, departed Norfolk
30Sep-08Oct2017,
testing and evaluation operations off the Virginia coast
09Oct2017, returned to Norfolk
CVW-3 (AC)
Locations and Remarks
Home Port : Norfolk, Va.
31Oct2017, departed Norfolk
01Nov-09Nov2017, carrier qualifications with CVW-3 off the coast of North Carolina
10Nov2017, returned to Norfolk
03Dec2017, departed Norfolk
03Dec-16Dec2017, off the coast of Virginia
17Dec2017, returned to Norfolk
11Jan2018, departed Norfolk
11Jan-26Jan2018, test and evaluation operations off the coast of Virginia
27Jan2018, returned to Norfolk
18May2018, departed Norfolk
18May-22May2018, off the coast of Virginia
23May2018, returned to Norfolk
31May2018, departed Norfolk
31May-07Jun2018, off the coast of Virginia
08Jun2018, returned to Norfolk
CVW not assigned
Locations and Remarks
Home Port : Norfolk, Va.
15Jul2018,
moved to Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS)
to begin a Post Shakedown Availability (PSA)
25Oct2019, departed HII-NSS for sea trials
25Oct-29Oct2019, sea trials, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
30Oct2019, returned to Norfolk
06Nov2019, departed Norfolk
06Nov-24Nov2019,
Independent Steaming Exercises, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
25Nov2019, returned to Norfolk
04Dec2019, departed Norfolk
04Dec-11Dec2019, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
12Dec2019, returned to Norfolk
CVW-8 (AJ)
Locations and Remarks
Home Port : Norfolk, Va.
16Jan2020, departed Norfolk
16Jan-30Jan2020,
Aircraft Compatibility Testing (ACT) to
Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG),
off the East Coast
31Jan2020, returned to Norfolk
03Feb2020, departed Norfolk
03Feb-11Feb2020,
aircraft compatibility testing (ACT) off the East Coast
12Feb2020, returned to Norfolk
11Mar2020, departed Norfolk
11Mar-19Mar2020,
Flight Deck Certification (FDC) and Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) Certification,
Virginia Capes Operating Areas
20Mar2020, completed FDC and CATCC Certification
21Mar-24Mar2020, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
25Mar2020, returned to Norfolk
26Mar2020, departed Norfolk
27Mar-12Apr2020,
Fleet Replacement Squadron Carrier Qualifications (FRS-CQ),
Virginia Capes Operating Areas
13Apr2020, returned to Norfolk
09May2020, departed Norfolk
09May-24May2020,
Fleet Replacement Squadron Carrier Qualifications (FRS-CQ),
Virginia Capes Operating Areas
25May2020, returned to Norfolk
28May2020, departed Norfolk
28May-06Jun2020,
Post Delivery Test and Trials (PDT&T) operations with CVW-8,
Virginia Capes Operating Areas
07Jun2020, returned to Norfolk
25Jul2020,
departed Norfolk
for Post Delivery Test and Trials (PDT&T) phase of operations
25Jul-29Jul2020, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
30Jul2020,
completed an Air Intercept Control (AIC) event
in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas
31Jul-04Aug2020, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
05Aug2020,
completed 11th independent steaming event (ISE 11)
06Aug2020, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
07Aug2020, returned to Norfolk
01Sep2020, departed Norfolk
01Sep-08Sep2020, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
09Sep-17Sep2020,
TAW-1 and TAW-2 Carrier Qualifications in the WestLant
18Sep-05Oct2020,
post-delivery test and trials (PDT&T) phase of operations in the WestLant
06Oct2020, returned to Norfolk
27Oct2020, departed Norfolk
27Oct-02Nov2020,
Carrier Qualifications for Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas
03Nov2020, returned to Norfolk
05Nov2020, departed Norfolk
05Nov-19Nov2020, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
20Nov2020, returned to Norfolk
05Dec2020, departed Norfolk
05Dec-14Dec2020, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
15Dec2020, returned to Norfolk
28Jan2021, departed Norfolk
28Jan-02Feb2021,
FRS Carrier Qualifications in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas
03Feb2021, WestLant
04Feb-07Feb2021,
TRACOM Carrier Qualifications off the coast of Florida
08Feb-09Feb2021, WestLant
10Feb2021, returned to Norfolk
07Mar2021, departed Norfolk
07Mar-20Mar2021,
Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials (CSSQT) in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas
21Mar2021, returned to Norfolk
14Apr2021, departed Norfolk
14Apr-29Apr2021,
Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials (CSSQT) in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas
30Apr2021, returned to Norfolk
07Jun2021, departed Norfolk
07Jun-12Jun2021, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
13Jun-17Jun2021, off the east coast of Florida
18Jun2021,
completed the first scheduled explosive event as part of Full Ship Shock Trials (FSST)
19Jun-21Jun2021, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
22Jun2021, returned to Norfolk
27Jun2021, departed Norfolk
27Jun-02Jul2021, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
03Jul2021, returned to Norfolk
13Jul2021, departed Norfolk
13Jul-18Jul2021, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
19Jul2021, returned to Norfolk
04Aug2021, departed Norfolk
04Aug-05Aug2021, WestLant
06Aug-09Aug2021, Full Ship Shock Trials off the coast of Florida
10Aug-12Aug2021, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
13Aug2021, returned to Norfolk
20Aug2021,
moved from Naval Station Norfolk to Newport News Shipyard
for a six-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA)
25Feb2022, departed Newport News Shipyard
25Feb-27Feb2022, sea trials in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas
28Feb2022, returned to Norfolk
21Mar2022, departed Norfolk
21Mar-03Apr2022, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
04Apr2022, returned to Norfolk
08Apr2022, departed Norfolk
08Apr-23Apr2022, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
24Apr2022, returned to Norfolk
06Jun2022, departed Norfolk
06Jun-10Jun2022, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
11Jun2022, returned to Norfolk
06Jul2022, departed Norfolk
06Jul-14Jul2022, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
15Jul2022, returned to Norfolk
01Aug2022, departed Norfolk
01Aug-05Aug2022, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
06Aug2022, returned to Norfolk
16Sep2022, departed Norfolk
16Sep-27Sep2022,
Tailored Ship's Training Availability and Final Evaluation Problem (TSTA/FEP),
conducted ammo onload,
in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas
28Sep2022, returned to Norfolk
03Oct2022,
scheduled to leave Norfolk
for what the Navy has called a "service retained" deployment,
but was delayed by a weather front
04Oct2022, departed Norfolk for a "service retained" deployment
04Oct-27Oct2022, off the east coast
28Oct-31Oct2022,
anchored off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
01Nov-13Nov2022,
operating in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean
and is expected to make its next port call in Portsmouth, UK
14Nov-17Nov2022,
anchored off the coast of Portsmouth, United Kingdom
18Nov-21Nov2022, Eastern Atlantic Ocean
22Nov-25Nov2022, en route to Norfolk
26Nov2022, returned to Norfolk
08Feb2023, departed Norfolk
08Feb-15Feb2023, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
16Feb2023, returned to Norfolk
02Mar2023, departed Norfolk
03Mar-01Apr2023,
Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas
02Apr2023, returned to Norfolk
02May2023, departed Norfolk on the first global deployment
02May-08May2023, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
09May-14May2023, Atlantic Ocean
15May-20May2023, Eastern Atlantic Ocean
21May-23May2023, North Sea
24May2023, transited the Oslo fjord for its first port call in Oslo, Norway
24May-28May2023, anchored off the south of Oslo, Norway
29May-01Jun2023, North Sea
02Jun-03Jun2023, Norwegian Sea
04Jun-06Jun2023, Baltic Operations 2023 in the Norwegian Sea
07Jun-10Jun2023, North Sea
11Jun-12Jun2023, Celtic Sea
13Jun2023, Eastern Atlantic Ocean
14Jun2023, Bay of Biscay
15Jun2023, transited the Strait of Gibraltar
15Jun-17Jun2023, Western Mediterranean Sea
18Jun-19Jun2023, Ionian Sea
20Jun-25Jun2023, Adriatic Sea
26Jun-29Jun2023, anchored off the coast of Split, Croatia
30Jun-07Jul2023, Adriatic Sea
08Jul-10Jul2023, Ionian Sea
11Jul-22Jul2023, Adriatic Sea
23Jul-24Jul2023, Ionian Sea
25Jul-26Jul2023, Saronic Gulf
27Jul-30Jul2023, anchored in Phaleron Bay, off the coast of Piraeus, Greece
31Jul2023, Saronic Gulf
01Aug2023, southwest of Crete, Med
02Aug2023, Ionian Sea
03Aug-10Aug2023, east of Sicily, Med
11Aug2023, Ionian Sea
12Aug-18Aug2023, Adriatic Sea
19Aug2023, Ionian Sea
20Aug-24Aug2023, south coast of Crete, Med
25Aug-28Aug2023, anchored off the coast of Antalya, Turkey
29Aug-01Sep2023, south coast of Crete, Med
02Sep-03Sep2023, Ionian Sea
04Sep-16Sep2023, Adriatic Sea
17Sep-20Sep2023, anchored off the coast of Trieste, Italy
21Sep-22Sep2023, Adriatic Sea
23Sep-24Sep2023, Ionian Sea
25Sep-01Oct2023, Adriatic Sea
02Oct-04Oct2023, Ionian Sea
05Oct-07Oct2023, Western Mediterranean Sea
08Oct2023, order to sail to Eastern Mediterranean
10Oct2023,
arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea,
in order to deter any actor seeking to escalate the situation or widen this war
10Oct-15Nov2023, Eastern Mediterranean Sea
16Nov-20Nov2023, Mediterranean Sea
21Oct-01Dec2023, Eastern Mediterranean Sea
02Dec-05Dec2023, Souda Bay, Greece
06Dec-25Dec2023, Eastern Mediterranean Sea
27Dec-30Dec2023, Souda Bay, Greece
31Dec2023-02Jan2024, Eastern Mediterranean Sea
03Jan-04Jan2024, Mediterranean Sea
05Jan2024, transited the Strait of Gibraltar
05Jan-16Jan2024, in the Atlantic Ocean and on its way home
17Jan2024, returned to Norfolk
22Aug2024, departed Norfolk
22Aug-25Aug2024, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
26Aug2024, returned to Norfolk
06Sep2024, departed Norfolk
06Sep-10Sep2024, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
11Sep2024, returned to Norfolk
16Sep2024, departed Norfolk
16Sep-23Sep2024, Virginia Capes Operating Areas
24Sep2024, returned to Norfolk