On Sunday, November 16, the US Navy's aircraft carrier group, led by the aircraft carrier «Gerald R. Ford», entered the Caribbean Sea. This initiative is part of US military efforts to combat drug trafficking. According to the US Navy press service, the carrier passed through the Anegada Passage near the British Virgin Islands and entered the area of responsibility of the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) under the directive of Secretary Pete Geste.
The group includes a squadron of fighter jets, two destroyers USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan, as well as the command ship USS Winston S. Churchill. «We are prepared to address threats that destabilize our region. The deployment of the aircraft carrier group as «Gerald R. Ford» is a crucial step in ensuring the security of our homeland», emphasized Admiral Alvin Holsey.
The carrier group will join other forces already present in the Caribbean, including USS Gravely and USS Iwo Jima, in the effort to eliminate drug cartels in Central and South America.