The Long Shadow of Overextension The USS Gerald R. Ford's record breaking deployment has finally ended, marking a new benchmark in the U. S. Navy's struggle to maintain its presence on the high seas.
After 326 days at sea, the warship returns home, revealing the toll that the Navy's reliance on a dwindling fleet of operational supercarriers takes on both crew morale and the ships themselves.
The Ford's extended deployment was not without incident. In February, a fire broke out, forcing the ship to return to Crete for repairs before continuing its mission.