WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The Pentagon is sending an aircraft carrier from the Caribbean to the Middle East, U.S. officials said on Friday, a move that would put two carriers in the region as tensions soar between the United States and Iran.
The Gerald R. Ford carrier, the United States' newest and the world's largest carrier, has been operating in the Caribbean with its escort ships and took part in operations in Venezuela earlier this year.
Asked why a second aircraft carrier was headed to the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump said: "In case we don't make a deal, we'll need it... if we need it, we'll have it ready."
One of the officials, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said the carrier would take at least a week to reach the Middle East.
The Gerald R. Ford will join the Abraham Lincoln carrier, several guided-missile destroyers, fighter jets and surveillance aircraft that have been moved to the Middle East in recent weeks.
The United States most recently had two aircraft carriers in the area last year, when it carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites in June.
With only 11 aircraft carriers in the U.S. military's arsenal, they are a scarce resource and their schedules are usually set well in advance.
In a statement, U.S. Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in Latin America, said it would continue to stay focused on countering "illicit activities and malign actors in the Western Hemisphere."
Trump had said this week he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East if a deal is not reached with Iran.
On Friday he told reporters he thought that talks with Iran would be successful but warned that "if they're not, it's going to be a bad day for Iran."
LONG DEPLOYMENT
The Ford has essentially been at sea since June 2025. It was supposed to be operating in Europe before it was abruptly moved to the Caribbean in November.
While deployments for carriers usually last nine months, it is not uncommon for them to be extended during periods of increased U.S. military activity.
Navy officials have long warned that long deployments at sea can damage morale on ships.
Officials said the administration had looked at sending a separate carrier, the Bush, to the Middle East, but it was undergoing certification and would take over a month to reach the Middle East.
The Ford, which has a nuclear reactor on board, can hold more than 75 military aircraft, including fighter aircraft like the F-18 Super Hornet jets and the E-2 Hawkeye, which can act as an early warning system.
The Ford also includes sophisticated radar that can help control air traffic and navigation.
The supporting ships, such as the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser Normandy, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers Thomas Hudner, Ramage, Carney, and Roosevelt, include surface-to-air, surface-to-surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Additional reporting by Hyunsu Yim;Editing by Shri Navaratnam, William Maclean, Philippa Fletcher)
