USS Gerald R. Ford Joins NATO Neptune Strike 25-3 in Mediterranean Power Projection

The U.S. Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), has joined NATO’s ongoing Neptune Strike 25-3 exercise in the Mediterranean Sea. This marks a significant milestone for multinational carrier strike integration under real-world operational conditions and underscores NATO’s collective maritime power projection amid rising tensions across multiple theaters.

USS Gerald R. Ford Returns to Europe for Multinational Operations

On June 17, 2024, the U.S. Sixth Fleet confirmed that USS Gerald R. Ford had re-entered the European theater to participate in Neptune Strike (NEST) 25-3—part of a recurring series of NATO-led vigilance activities designed to enhance allied interoperability and readiness through integrated maritime operations.

The deployment follows CVN 78’s previous high-profile presence in Europe during its inaugural global deployment from May to December 2023. The ship is currently operating under Carrier Strike Group Twelve (CSG-12), with embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), Destroyer Squadron Two (DESRON-2), and support vessels including Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60).

According to official U.S. Navy releases and NATO statements reviewed by MiliVox Editorial Engine, this iteration of Neptune Strike is focused on command-and-control integration between national naval assets and NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM). The exercise includes air defense drills, anti-submarine warfare scenarios, and dynamic targeting missions across multiple domains.

Neptune Series Evolution: From Vigilance Activity to Operational Integration

The Neptune series of exercises began as part of NATO’s enhanced vigilance activities (EVAs) following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. These operations aim to test rapid reinforcement capabilities across land, air, sea, cyber, and space domains under Article V collective defense scenarios.

Neptune Strike specifically focuses on integrating carrier strike groups into NATO command structures via Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and MARCOM in Northwood, UK.

NEST 22: First real-time integration of a U.S. CSG under NATO command during peacetime.
NEST iterations: Conducted quarterly or semi-annually since early 2022 with increasing complexity.
NEST 25-3: Third iteration for calendar year FY2025; includes participation from over eight allied navies including Italy, France, Spain, Türkiye, Greece and the UK.

This evolution reflects growing emphasis on distributed maritime operations (DMO), multi-domain command-and-control (MDC2), and flexible deterrence options within contested environments such as the Eastern Mediterranean or Black Sea approaches.

Carrier Air Wing Eight Brings Full-Spectrum Combat Capability

The embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight aboard CVN 78 plays a central role in NEST 25-3 by providing long-range strike capability alongside fleet air defense and ISR support for coalition forces at sea.

Key components of CVW-8 include:

F/A‑18E/F Super Hornets: Multi-role fighters conducting simulated strike missions against maritime targets.
E‑2D Advanced Hawkeye: Providing airborne early warning & control with Link‑16 interoperability across NATO platforms.
EA‑18G Growler: Electronic attack aircraft supporting suppression of enemy air defenses during joint force maneuvers.
MQ‑25 Stingray UAVs: While not yet operationally deployed aboard CVN 78 as of June 2024, future iterations may include unmanned aerial refueling trials during similar exercises.

This composition allows for layered defense against aerial threats while enabling offensive counter-air operations—a critical component given recent proliferation of long-range anti-access/area denial systems across peer adversary arsenals.

NATO Naval Interoperability Tested Under Realistic Threat Scenarios

A defining feature of NEST exercises is their emphasis on realistic threat simulations involving contested electromagnetic environments (EME), multi-axis missile attacks from shore-based systems or submarines, and cyber disruptions targeting C4ISR infrastructure onboard ships or ashore HQs.

NATO sources confirm that NEST 25‑3 includes simulated engagements with diesel-electric submarines from partner navies using variable-depth sonar systems aboard ASW frigates like Italy’s FREMM-class or Spain’s Álvaro de Bazán-class F100s equipped with Aegis combat systems.

The exercise also tests cross-deck flight operations between allied navies—such as French Rafale M or Italian F‑35B STOVL jets operating alongside U.S. Navy assets—to validate compatibility protocols like JPALS precision landing aids or secure data links such as Link 22/Link 16 gateways via Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System Maritime (CENTRIXS-M).

Strategic Implications Amid Regional Tensions

The return of USS Gerald R. Ford to European waters comes amid heightened geopolitical friction along both flanks of Europe—from Russian naval activity in the Black Sea region post-Montreux Convention restrictions to increased Chinese naval diplomacy near Suez transit routes into the Med theater via PLA(N) port calls in Algeria or Egypt.

This deployment sends a dual message:

To allies: Reinforces U.S. commitment to Article V obligations through tangible forward presence backed by kinetic capabilities—not merely rotational staff deployments or symbolic port visits.
To adversaries: Demonstrates ability to surge fifth-generation combat power into contested zones within days via globally deployable CSGs capable of sustained ops without host-nation basing dependencies.

Curtain Call Before Decommissioning? Not Quite Yet

Certain open-source speculation had suggested that CVN 78 might undergo extended maintenance availability following its first full-length deployment cycle due to propulsion system teething issues linked to its Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG). However—as evidenced by its current participation—those concerns appear either resolved or deferred pending further operational validation cycles under real-world stressors like NEST 25‑3 provides.

A Template for Future Carrier-NATO Integration?

If successful—and early indications suggest high mission tempo with minimal downtime—Neptune Strike 25‑3 may serve as a model for future U.S.-led multinational carrier task force deployments where tactical control can be delegated seamlessly among allies depending on theater requirements without compromising combat effectiveness or C4ISR integrity across domains.