Europe: USS Gerald R. Ford in Marseille for Rare Naval Visit
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, arrived in Marseille, France, on Monday, August 4, 2025, for a high-profile port visit. The nuclear-powered supercarrier is docked in the port of Marseille alongside the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill, and will remain until Saturday, August 9.
At 337 meters long and 78 meters wide, the Gerald R. Ford dominates the Marseille skyline. Commissioned in 2017 and first deployed in 2022, the carrier can host over 75 aircraft and up to 4,500 personnel. With a construction cost of $13 billion, the vessel is powered by two advanced nuclear reactors generating over twice the electricity of its predecessors. It also features an electromagnetic aircraft launch system capable of catapulting jets in under 10 seconds.
Symbol of Franco-American Military Ties
The port call was described by U.S. Ambassador to France Charles Kushner as “symbolic of the Franco-American alliance,” especially as discussions with European allies intensify over increased defense spending and NATO commitments. While docked, U.S. Navy personnel will have opportunities to visit Marseille, Monaco, and Paris.
To ensure security, local authorities have implemented a 100-meter exclusion zone around the carrier. Swimming, diving, and navigation are temporarily prohibited in the area during the ship’s stay, according to the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture.
Not the First, but a Long-Awaited Visit
Marseille has previously hosted U.S. naval vessels. In summer 2024, the USS Harry S. Truman made a port call. The USS Gerald R. Ford was originally scheduled to visit in 2023 but was redirected to the Eastern Mediterranean following the Hamas attack on Israel.
This visit now takes on greater importance, not only as a demonstration of military presence but also as a diplomatic gesture reinforcing transatlantic unity in a shifting global security environment.
