Adm. Alvin Holsey, Commander of U.S. Southern Command, said, “Through unwavering commitment and the precise use of our forces, we stand ready to combat the transnational threats that seek to destabilize our region,” adding, “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 will join U.S. forces already operating in the region, including the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and its embarked marine expeditionary unit.
Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta, commander of Carrier Strike Group 12, said, “Our nation’s leaders have called upon the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group as the most capable, adaptable, and lethal platform in the world to be where it matters, when it matters,” adding that the force will “augment existing capabilities to protect our nation’s security and prosperity against narco-terrorism in the Western Hemisphere.” The deployment forms part of Joint Task Force Southern Spear, created to dismantle criminal networks operating across shared maritime and border regions.
More than 4,000 sailors and dozens of tactical aircraft are embarked on the carrier, which provides increased capacity for sustained operations at sea. Gerald R. Ford, the first in its class, is able to simultaneously launch and recover fixed wing aircraft day or night as part of assigned missions.
The carrier strike group deployed on 24 June 2025 and has since conducted multi domain operations across the Atlantic. It later entered the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, sailing above the Arctic Circle and through the Mediterranean Sea while participating in NATO’s Neptune Strike 25-2 and 25-3 activities and making port visits to Croatia, France, Germany, Norway and Spain. The force reached the Southern Command area after a westbound transit through the Strait of Gibraltar on 4 November and a transoceanic passage.
Alongside Gerald R. Ford, the strike group includes nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing Eight, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan, and the integrated air and missile defence command ship USS Winston S. Churchill. U.S. military forces in the Caribbean support Southern Command missions, Department of War-directed operations and presidential priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the Homeland.
Operation Southern Spear aims to enhance security across the Western Hemisphere by detecting, disrupting and degrading transnational criminal and illicit maritime networks. The mission is intended to strengthen maritime domain awareness, support regional stability and prevent illicit activity from reaching the United States, reflecting the Department of War’s commitment to maintaining a safe and secure hemisphere.
