On February 13, 2026, U.S. officials confirmed the USS Gerald R. Ford will deploy to West Asia soon, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln already operating in the Arabian Sea off Iran.

Two-carrier presence increases U.S. strike and air-defense capacity in the region, tightening Iran’s military response window and raising the operational risk for shipping and energy infrastructure around the Persian Gulf. The move also signals the U.S. is willing to sustain higher-tempo operations while nuclear talks continue, reducing the credibility of “talks-only” assumptions for firms with regional exposure. Companies with personnel, logistics, or maritime routes transiting the Arabian Sea/Gulf should plan for faster-onset security restrictions (routing changes, port delays, higher war-risk premiums) if tensions escalate.