Venezuela: USS Gerald R. Ford Strike Group Moves to Caribbean

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Open-source analysts track the Ford Carrier Strike Group’s movement toward the Southern Command area amid speculation of U.S. readiness to strike Venezuelan targets and renewed special operations activity near Grenada.

By TRH Foreign Affairs Desk

New Delhi, November 10, 2025 — Open-source intelligence (OSINT) trackers and defense analysts are reporting signs that the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) is moving toward the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility, signaling a potential escalation of U.S. military posture in the Caribbean.

Ian Ellis, a defense analyst, posted on X that the Ford Carrier Strike Group had been “directed to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility” as of October 24, adding that flight tracking data suggests its trans-Atlantic journey is already underway. The deployment, Ellis wrote, aims to “enhance force presence” and “support counter-narcotics operations” in the region.

The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), accompanied by Destroyer Squadron 2 and Carrier Air Wing 8, carries roughly 4,500 personnel and represents what the Navy calls “the most capable, adaptable, and lethal naval mission package in the world.” The stated objectives include “countering narco-terrorism,” disrupting transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and reinforcing homeland defense missions.

Analyst M.T. Anderson corroborated the activity, citing multiple maritime data points indicating that logistical support ships such as the USNS Supply are moving at unusually high speeds and along direct vectors toward the Caribbean. “At this speed, Supply can cover the distance to the safe operating zone east of Trinidad and Tobago in about five days,” Anderson noted, calling the redeployment “a matter of when, not if.”

Adding to the intrigue, Anderson also confirmed on November 8 that the MV Ocean Trader, a U.S. Special Operations support vessel, has reappeared near Grenada, escorted by an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The ship was last seen resupplying in Ponce, Puerto Rico, earlier this week. Its rapid return, Anderson suggested, underscores “the high priority and enduring commitment of the U.S. Special Operations mission in the region.”

The Ocean Trader’s new escort configuration and the simultaneous repositioning of major U.S. naval assets have fueled speculation that Washington is preparing for potential operations near Venezuela, even as official confirmation remains pending.

Neither the Pentagon nor U.S. Southern Command has publicly commented on the Ford’s reported movement or on operational details surrounding the Ocean Trader’s renewed activity.

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