{"id":28685,"date":"2023-04-03T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-03T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/04\/03\/deployment-extended-for-aircraft-carrier-george-hw-bush\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:55:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:55:11","slug":"deployment-extended-for-aircraft-carrier-george-hw-bush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/fedlife\/2023\/04\/03\/deployment-extended-for-aircraft-carrier-george-hw-bush\/","title":{"rendered":"Deployment extended for aircraft carrier George HW Bush"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush will see its deployment to Europe extended from the planned seven months to about nine months, a defense official confirmed Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the revised schedule, the carrier is slated to return to Norfolk, Virginia, in early May, according to the official, who requested anonymity to discuss internal planning. The extension was first reported by Reuters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while Bush will be out longer than expected, its assorted missions could evolve as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday that Bush was re-positioned closer to Syria \u201cas a precaution\u201d after an attack on U.S. forces there last month by what the department said are Iranian-backed militias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe did move the carrier to be slightly closer but it\u2019s still in the purview of EUCOM, but it was in response to, of course, what we saw as increasing attacks on our service members in the region,\u201d Singh said. At least six U.S. service members were injured in such attacks late last month, with one U.S. contractor killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\t