The United States Southern Command confirmed on Sunday the arrival of the world's largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Caribbean Sea, as part of a high-level operation ordered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to support the White House directive aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations and combating narco-terrorism operating in the hemisphere.

According to the official statement, the deployment is in response to the presidential directive to reinforce U.S. military action against illicit networks that move drugs, weapons, and resources through the Caribbean and which, according to Washington, represent a direct threat to U.S. security. The announcement comes as the region experiences a surge in maritime routes used by criminal groups that have expanded their reach from several countries in the region.

Admiral Alvin Holsey, head of SOUTHCOM, asserted that the United States is prepared to confront these organizations through an “unwavering” commitment and the use of “precise and lethal” force. He affirmed that the presence of the Gerald R. Ford in the Caribbean is a key step in strengthening maritime control and protecting the stability of the Western Hemisphere.

The strike group will join forces already operating in the area, such as the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and embarked marine infantry units. All are part of Joint Task Force Southern Spear, created to dismantle criminal networks that exploit shared maritime spaces and have expanded their operations in the Caribbean in recent years.

Rear Admiral Paul Lanzilotta, commander of the carrier strike group, emphasized that the ship is considered the most capable and adaptable military platform in the world, with more than 4,000 sailors and dozens of tactical aircraft that can operate day and night. He asserted that the mission in the Caribbean will strengthen the U.S. ability to project power and maintain sustained operations in high-risk environments.

After setting sail on June 24, 2025, the Gerald R. Ford participated in multi-domain exercises in the Atlantic and in coordinated actions with NATO, even sailing above the Arctic Circle. It called at ports in Norway, France, Spain, Germany, and Croatia before crossing the Strait of Gibraltar en route to the Southern Command's area of responsibility in early November.

The carrier strike group includes Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers such as the USS Bainbridge and the USS Mahan, in addition to the air defense command ship USS Winston S. Churchill and the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing Eight.

The operation deployed in the Caribbean is part of Operation Southern Spear, a Department of Defense mission focused on detecting and disrupting maritime criminal networks and illicit activities in the hemisphere, with the goal of preventing their arrival in the United States. Washington maintains that these actions seek to strengthen regional security and maintain a military presence capable of responding to emerging threats.