Lead ship of Ford-class aircraft carriers
The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group has arrived in the Caribbean, with the USS Nimitz and its air wing conducting exercises and integrating with regional navies. The move is framed as a show of force alongside regional operations, amid ongoing political tensions after Raul Castro’s indictment. The deployment follows a history of prolonged carrier deployments and regional deployments.
Since mid‑May the U.S. has unsealed an indictment charging former Cuban leader Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of civilian planes, tightened sanctions including broad measures against GAESA, deployed the USS Nimitz to the Caribbean, and imposed an oil blockade that has triggered blackouts and economic strain in Cuba.
The government has directed the Pentagon and Navy to present plans to remove EMALS from Ford-class carriers within two months, replacing it with a traditional system. Trump has long criticized EMALS, and the memo targets the Doris Miller as the first carrier to receive the changes. The move comes amid budget pressures and fights over military funding.