The crew mans the rails as the ship is brought to life during commissioning ceremonies for the USS Gerald R. Ford on Saturday, July 22, 2017, at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. (Rob Ostermaier/Newport News Daily Press/Tribune News Service via Getty Images NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The U.S.
Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier embarked on its first-ever deployment Tuesday and will train with other NATO countries amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The USS Gerald R.
Ford left the world’s largest Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, along with destroyers and other ships that make up its carrier strike group.
The Ford will join vessels from countries that include France, Germany and Sweden for various exercises, including anti-submarine warfare, in the Atlantic Ocean.The exercises come seven months after Russia invaded Ukraine and during a time of increasing tension between Moscow and the West.