--- title: "Where Are The Carriers As Of May 3, 2026: Ford Finally Heads Home" date: "2026-05-04" modified: "2026-05-04" authors: - name: "Ian Ellis-Jones" job_title: "Head of Audience Development" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/ian-ellis-jones" url: "https://www.twz.com/sea/where-are-the-carriers-as-of-may-3-2026-ford-finally-heads-home" categories: - "Carrier Tracker" - "Carriers" - "Sea" --- # Where Are The Carriers As Of May 3, 2026: Ford Finally Heads Home ![TWZ’s weekly carrier tracker monitoring America’s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG), using publicly available open-source information]() *IAN ELLIS-JONES/TWZ* Here’s *TWZ’s* weekly carrier tracker monitoring America’s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARGs), using publicly available open-source information. Check out last week’s map [here](). The historic deployment of the *Gerald R. Ford* CSG appears to be winding down, finally. The strike group - now deployed for a [record-setting]() 314 days - transited the Suez Canal northbound on May 1 and has reportedly begun the journey back home to Norfolk, [according to *The Washington Post*](). However, CENTCOM still has two CSGs under its command, led by USS *Abraham Lincoln* and USS *George H.W. Bush*, positioned in the Arabian Sea together for the first time since the conflict kicked off. The second carrier provides additional flexibility to enforce the blockade, support the just-announced Project Freedom mission to get commercial vessels out of the Persian Gulf, and, should combat operations resume, strike Iran with double the firepower. https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2051038510115868802?s=20 "U.S. military support to Project Freedom will include guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members," CENTCOM stated in a [release on Sunday](). But reporting from [the *Wall Street Journal*]() claims the plan "doesn’t currently involve U.S. Navy warships escorting vessels through the strait," and the mechanics of the mission remain unclear. Also of note, Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM's Commander based in Florida, visited troops over the weekend. https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/2050941056166850761?s=20 The *Boxer* ARG steamed northbound through the Malacca Strait on April 30, which *TWZ* [was among the first to report](), and entered the Indian Ocean the following day. *Boxer* [went dark on AIS]() shortly after completing the transit but, assuming a direct route to reinforce the *Tripoli* ARG in the Middle East, could arrive in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility sometime next week. As of publication, the ARG was still operating under U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. ![Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) transits the Sulu Sea, April 26, 2026. Boxer, flagship of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, is underway with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Sailor O’Rear)]() *Seaman Recruit Sailor O'Rear* ![U.S. Marines with Light Armored Reconnaissance Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, scan for vessels on the flight deck of Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) while transiting the Surigao Strait, April 26, 2026. The 11th MEU, embarked aboard the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, is a persistent, combat credible force contributing to deterrence and crisis response in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet, the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Joseph Helms)]() *Sgt. Joseph Helms* ![U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, scan for vessels on the flight deck of Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) while transiting the Surigao Strait, April 26, 2026. The 11th MEU, embarked aboard the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, is a persistent, combat credible force contributing to deterrence and crisis response in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet, the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Trent A. Henry)]() *Sgt. Trent A. Henry* Continuing her scenic tour circumnavigating South America, USS *Nimitz* [moved through the Strait of Magellan]() and into the Atlantic Ocean on April 26. While *Nimitz’s* exact position is currently unknown, pictures on [DVIDS]() show her most recently [participating in a PHOTOEX off the southeast coast of Argentina](). ![Argentine Navy Almirante Brown-class destroyer ARA La Argentina (DD 11) steams alongside U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during a bilateral maritime engagement in the Atlantic Ocean, April 29, 2026. Nimitz is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2026, which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational, and interagency exchanges and cooperation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter K. McHaddad)]() *Petty Officer 2nd Class Peter McHaddad* ![Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) transits the Strait of Magellan, April 26, 2026. Nimitz is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2026 which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gina Gallia)]() *Petty Officer 3rd Class Gina Gallia* ![An Argentine Navy SH-3 Sea King, attached to 2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Helicopteros (EAH) 2 lands on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) for a subject matter expert knowledge exchange and embark between U.S. and Argentine service members held onboard the Nimitz while the ship is underway in the Atlantic Ocean, April 28, 2026. Nimitz is deployed as part of Southern Seas 2026 which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jaron Wills)]() *Petty Officer 2nd Class Jaron Wills* *Note: Positions are general approximations.* *Non-deployed LHA/LHD amphibious warships are not shown.* Contact the author: *ian.ellis-jones@teamrecurrent.io* ## Author Ian is the Head of Audience Development at *TWZ*. He executes our full-spectrum social media strategy, is the master of ceremonies for the incredible comments section, and brings his interpretive graphics skills to our editorial team as an OSINT analyst and researcher. Ian [joined]() *TWZ* in early 2026 and maintains our weekly [carrier tracker]() and [newsletter](). ### Author social links [Twitter]() [Bluesky]()