Venezuela Doesn’t Stand a Chance Against the USS Gerald R. Ford
November 25, 2025
By: Harrison Kass
The USS Gerald R. Ford is the most advanced aircraft carrier in the world—and has ample countermeasures to thwart any conceivable threat Venezuela’s mid-tier military could pose.
The Trump administration has deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s most advanced aircraft carrier, to the Caribbean Sea in a show of force designed to impress Venezuela’s Maduro regime. The Ford’s presence immediately elevates the United States to the dominant power in the region, unrivaled in any meaningful capacity. But, that being said, it’s worth asking: is there any practical way that Venezuela could harm the $13 billion Ford?
The short—and long—answer is no. There is no weapon in Venezuela’s inventory that could reliably do damage to the Ford—and many weapons in the Ford’s inventory that could do the reverse.
Could Venezuela Destroy the Ford from the Air?
No, Venezuela could not destroy the Ford from the air.
Venezuela has one of South America’s more capable air forces—although, that’s a low bar. Currently, Venezuela fields a fleet of aging F-16A/Bs with forty year old tech, Su-30MK2 Flankers with 20-year old tech, limited AWACS or sensor support, and limited radar coverage over open water.
In practice, this means that Venezuela does not have the aerial ability to 1) find a carrier at sea reliably, 2) penetrate US fighter screens, and 3) survive against E-2D Hawkeyes, F/A-18s, and EA-18Gs. Any Venezuelan attempt to attack the Ford from the air would be detected from hundreds of miles away, intercepted long before entering
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/venezuela-doesnt-stand-a-chance-against-uss-gerald-r-ford-hk-112525
