The USS Gerald R. Ford, a towering symbol of American naval dominance, has entered Israeli waters as tensions between Israel and Iran continue to rise.

Stretching more than 1,100 feet across the sea and displacing roughly 100,000 tons, the Ford is the world’s largest and most expensive aircraft carrier. Its sheer scale has often been described as breathtaking, a floating city rising from the waterline with a flight deck that feels more like a moving airfield than a ship.

The deployment comes as President Donald Trump and senior U.S. military leaders increase pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program and destabilizing regional behavior, even as diplomatic negotiations continue in Geneva. The Ford’s arrival significantly deepens the American naval presence in the region, joining other key assets already operating nearby, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group.

Construction of the USS Gerald R. Ford cost more than 16 billion dollars, making it the most expensive warship ever built.

Operating the carrier costs an estimated 8 million dollars per day when factoring in manpower, aviation operations, logistics, maintenance, and full strike group support.

Approximately 4,500 sailors, aviators, engineers, and command staff live and work aboard the vessel. It contains medical facilities, large scale food service operations preparing thousands of meals daily, aircraft maintenance complexes, advanced radar systems, munitions storage, and command centers coordinating military operations across entire regions.

Powered by two nuclear reactors, the carrier can operate for more than two decades without refueling. It produces its own electricity and fresh water, sustaining itself at sea for extended deployments.

Its air wing can include more than 75 aircraft, from advanced strike fighters to surveillance and electronic warfare platforms. The Ford class introduced the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, replacing traditional steam catapults and enabling faster and more efficient aircraft launches.

The carrier serves as a sovereign mobile airbase capable of launching sustained operations across much of the Middle East without relying on foreign airfields.

Defense analysts say a U.S. carrier strike group represents one of the most formidable conventional military formations in the world. The Ford’s presence sends a clear strategic message.

As negotiations with Iran continue, the arrival of this floating city of American power shows Washington’s readiness to defend its interests and its allies if tensions escalate further.