After repeated plumbing issues, the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, has now reported a fire incident. The US Navy confirmed the incident but ruled out the blaze being caused in combat with Iran or its proxy groups.
Two US Navy sailors suffered burn injuries after the fire broke out on Thursday. The flames were detected and doused in the laundry section of the aircraft carrier. Neither sailor was seriously injured in the incident, US media reports quoted the Navy as saying.
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“There is no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational,” the Navy statement said.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, also known as the CVN-78, is currently operating in the Red Sea as part of US operations linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran. The ship and its crew are on high-intensity extended deployment, and the plumbing issue that it experienced earlier was man-made, reports had hinted. Frustrated sailors were purposefully blocking pipes as they were unhappy about having to remain at sea due to the conflict in the Middle East. As things stand, the fire being a similar act of indiscipline and rebellion, can;t be ruled out.
Over the course of the war, social media platforms have been scattered with AI-generated videos showing alleged attacks on US naval assets. Several old, unrelated videos have also been shared as part of this misinformation campaign.
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The USS Gerald R. Ford was delivered to the US Navy in May 2017 and commissioned a month later. It is the lead ship of the US Navy's Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, designed to succeed the older Nimitz-class. It can carry up to approximately 90 aircraft, including fighters, electronic attack jets, early warning aircraft, and helicopters, giving it massive airpower projection.
The Ford has a crew of about 4,500 personnel and roughly 75 aircraft, including Boeing F/A-18s and helicopters.
