FLASH INFO: U.S. Navy Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is now positioned close to Venezuela’s coast.

The U.S. Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group has repositioned roughly 380 miles (around 600 km) south-southwest of Puerto Rico, placing it within rapid-strike distance of Venezuela. The move signals heightened U.S. surveillance and deterrence posture in the Caribbean amid growing regional tensions.

The United States Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, has shifted its operating position in the Caribbean Sea, according to reporting from the WarSurveillance X account on December 14, 2025. The carrier strike group, now operating approximately 380 miles (around 600 km) south-southwest of Ponce, Puerto Rico, is positioned to expand maritime surveillance coverage and project air and naval power closer to the Venezuelan coastline, a move that subtly but significantly alters the regional security landscape.
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U.S. Navy USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is operating in the Caribbean Sea close to the Venezuelan coast, in support of U.S. Southern Command missions aligned with Department of War directives and presidential orders to combat drug trafficking and defend U.S. national security. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

The timing of this deployment is far from coincidental. Hours after the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Ford’s repositioning was confirmed by open-source intelligence, President Peter Hegseth issued a televised address announcing the initiation of U.S. ground operations targeting transnational drug cartels operating from within Venezuelan territory. Labeling these groups as “narco-terrorist networks supported by hostile regimes,” the President stated that the United States would no longer tolerate the use of Venezuela’s territory as a platform for narcotics and weapons trafficking directed at the U.S. homeland.

Carrier Strike Group 12’s current location places Carrier Air Wing 8’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers within an optimal operational radius for ISR, electronic warfare, and potential strike missions inside Venezuela. The carrier’s air wing is now well positioned to support precision targeting of cartel-linked facilities, monitor vessel movements in the southern Caribbean, and deter interference from Venezuelan state forces. With this posture, the Ford enhances both strategic deterrence and operational readiness should the situation escalate further.

While the United States has not disclosed specific mission profiles, defense analysts highlight the Ford’s capacity to support a range of missions. These include deep surveillance, airborne early warning, and rapid-strike interdiction. EA-18G Growlers aboard the carrier are capable of degrading Venezuelan radar coverage and suppressing short-range surface-to-air missile sites. F/A-18E/F jets can be configured for surgical strikes against fixed and mobile cartel infrastructure. The proximity to Venezuelan airspace shortens sortie durations and increases loiter time for aircraft conducting ISR sweeps across potential narcotics corridors, airstrips, or coastal launch points.

Beyond air power, the U.S. Navy's Gerald R. Ford's presence underscores a broader U.S. effort to dominate the maritime battlespace in the Caribbean. Its accompanying escorts, including Aegis-equipped destroyers and cruisers, reinforce sea control and can contribute to maritime interdiction operations. U.S. Navy assets in the region are expected to intensify boarding and inspection activities targeting vessels suspected of transporting narcotics or supporting cartel logistics. This further tightens the noose on smuggling routes through the Caribbean basin.

So far, the Venezuelan government has issued no formal statement addressing Ford's deployment. However, Caracas has consistently condemned prior U.S. naval movements in the region as provocative and imperialist. Venezuela’s military remains on elevated alert status, although there are no visible signs of an imminent counteraction. Analysts assess that the Maduro government’s capacity to challenge a U.S. carrier strike group remains limited, despite occasional air-defense exercises involving Russian-supplied equipment and overflights by Su-30MK2 aircraft.

For regional observers, the deployment of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is a signal of how seriously Washington is now treating the fusion of organized crime and geopolitical adversaries. Unlike previous drug interdiction operations centered on maritime policing and partner cooperation, the current campaign, under what appears to be a classified directive within Operation Southern Spear, has entered kinetic operations. The Ford’s presence makes clear that naval aviation and sea power will play a central role in shaping the operational environment. This applies whether in support of U.S. special operations force raids or in preparation for longer-term deterrence in the hemisphere.

This marks a historic turning point. Never before has a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier been stationed this close to Venezuelan territory with such an overt mandate to support active military operations. While the long-term scope of this campaign remains undefined, its opening phase already reflects a significant shift in U.S. military strategy toward extraterritorial enforcement of counter-narcotics objectives through integrated joint-force operations.

As the campaign unfolds, the U.S. Navy's Gerald R. Ford’s capabilities, ranging from sustained flight operations to electronic warfare dominance, will remain a cornerstone of U.S. military posture in the region. With combat-ready aircraft in the sky, ISR assets sweeping the sea lanes, and the Caribbean’s most powerful warship on station, the message is clear. The United States is now prepared to confront narcotics-fueled instability at its source.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.