Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell stated, “The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere.” He added, “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations.”
Carrying more than 4,000 Sailors and dozens of tactical aircraft, the Gerald R. Ford gives U.S. combatant commanders the ability to conduct sustained operations at sea. The first-in-class carrier can launch and recover fixed-wing aircraft around the clock in support of operational tasks.
The strike group joins other joint forces already stationed in the region, including the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and its embarked Marine Expeditionary Unit. These forces are operating under a Joint Task Force established to dismantle criminal networks that exploit shared borders and maritime domains.
“Through unwavering commitment and the precise use of our forces, we stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region,” said Adm. Alvin Holsey, Commander of SOUTHCOM. “The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group’s deployment represents a critical step in reinforcing our resolve to protect the security of the Western Hemisphere and the safety of the American homeland.”
The strike group includes nine embarked squadrons from Carrier Air Wing Eight and several Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers—USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), USS Mahan (DDG 72), and the integrated air and missile defence command ship USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81). These vessels offer a range of capabilities including anti-air, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare.
Embarked squadrons aboard the carrier include F/A-18E and F Super Hornets, E/A-18G Growlers, E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes, MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawks, and C-2A Greyhounds. The destroyers are equipped with the Aegis Combat System, missile vertical launch systems, and other advanced weaponry.
USSOUTHCOM’s area of responsibility spans 31 countries and 12 dependencies and territories across Latin America, the Caribbean Sea, and the adjacent waters. The region accounts for roughly one-sixth of the global landmass overseen by regional unified commands.
