The United States’ $13 billion aircraft carrier has been temporarily removed from its role in the Iran conflict due to a series of onboard complications. Issues range from malfunctioning eco-friendly toilets to a fire damaging parts of the ship.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, known as the world’s largest aircraft carrier and the most costly warship ever constructed by the U.S., might face a year-long hiatus, as reported by the New York Post.

The 1,106-foot-long ship, which recently departed the Red Sea, is currently stationed in Crete for necessary repairs. This comes after it was withdrawn from operations only two weeks following its deployment against Iran.

For years, the vessel has been beset with issues, notably with its sanitation system, which has been problematic since at least 2020. Addressing these frequent clogs has incurred costs of over $4 million.

“Those eco-friendly toilets are not pressurized in the same way. They don’t flush through,” explained naval expert Steve Wills in an interview with the outlet.

The problems stem from the ship’s vacuum collection, holding and transfer system, a high-tech design adapted from the cruise ship industry that has required constant maintenance.

A 2020 Government Accountability Office report found the system required ‘onerous’ day-to-day maintenance, with each so-called ‘acid flush’ costing about $400,000.

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine raised concerns earlier this month about the ship’s ‘persistent sewage system failures and inoperable laundry facilities’ following its extended deployment.

America’s $13billion USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier has been pulled from operations in the Iran conflict after a series of failures, including faulty toilets, sewage issues and a fire that damaged living areas

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not publicly commented on the reported issues aboard the USS Gerald R Ford

The carrier had been operating in the Middle East in support of US efforts against Iran before it was pulled from service.

Kaine warned the situation was taking a toll on the crew, writing to Navy Secretary John Phelan: ‘I am deeply concerned about the compounding mental and physical toll this long deployment and uncertainty is taking on our Sailors.’

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not publicly commented on the reported issues aboard the USS Gerald R Ford.

He added that sailors and their families were being pushed ‘to a breaking point’ by an unpredictable schedule and a ship that, despite its $13billion price tag, was failing to meet basic living standards.

The carrier operates as a ‘floating city’ with a crew of roughly 4,500 sailors.

According to the report, the Navy installed a new toilet and sewage system similar to those used on commercial aircraft but scaled up for a crew of more than 4,000.

The ship was also hit by a fire on March 12 in a laundry area, which filled multiple sections with smoke, damaged berthing spaces and left some living quarters unusable.

Smoke is believed to have spread through the ship’s air circulation system, contaminating mattresses and linens and rendering some areas virtually unlivable.

The United Stated Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrives in Souda Bay on March 23, 2026 in Souda, Greece

Harbor tugboats approach the USS Gerald R Ford off Split, Croatia, on March 28, 2026, during a maintenance stop after Middle East operations

The damage was so severe that helicopters were used to transport laundry to other ships after onboard facilities were knocked out.

Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed said the fallout was severe, with hundreds of sailors forced to sleep on the floor for days.

‘I’m told that there are 400 sailors that spent many days sleeping on the floor,’ Reed said. ‘It’s been at sea now for almost a year, so that is an incredible stress on the whole crew.’

The warship has been deployed for around nine months, adding to concerns about strain on personnel.

The Navy’s 6th Fleet said the carrier remains ‘fully mission capable’ and will undergo assessment, repairs and resupply, though no timeline has been given.

An investigation into the fire is now underway.

Meanwhile, the USS George H W Bush carrier strike group is heading toward the Mediterranean to support operations, though it uses a similar sanitation system.

The Ford arrived at the Port of Split in Croatia on Saturday, according to the Navy.

The Daily Mail has contacted the Navy for comment.

Uganda’s military leader has issued a striking warning, suggesting that the nation’s armed forces might intervene in the Iran-Israel conflict, siding with Israel. This statement, shared widely across social media this week, has sparked considerable attention.

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is not only the son of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni but also a likely successor, has been vocal on platform X, expressing robust support for Israel. His posts have resonated deeply, capturing the public’s interest.

“We stand with Israel because we are Christians,” Kainerugaba declared, underscoring his stance. In another emphatic message, he likened Uganda to the biblical David, asserting it as a forgotten entity poised to overcome its Goliath.

The general’s social media activity kicked off with a call for peace in the Middle East, urging an end to the ongoing conflict. He warned, however, that any threats against Israel would compel Uganda to take action, firmly on Israel’s side.

Uganda’s military, comprising 45,000 active personnel in the Uganda People’s Defense Force and approximately 35,000 in reserve, is a formidable force. The country boasts around 240 tanks and over a thousand armored fighting vehicles, reflecting its substantial defense capabilities as detailed by the Ministry of Defense.

The nation is also heavily involved militarily in conflict-affected countries. Its soldiers fight as part of an African Union force against Islamist al-Shabab terrorists in Somalia. Their army is also still operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against the Islamic State-linked ADF terrorist group.

While Iran is not known to have any interests in Uganda, it has been accused of covert operations in neighboring Kenya and Tanzania, including the running of smuggling networks and making controversial diplomatic and economic outreach with questionable motives throughout the region. Although landlocked, Uganda is said to be wary of Iran’s strategic interest in gaining a presence in the regional waters of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) attends his military decoration ceremony at the Bombo Military Barracks, in Bombo, Luweero District, Uganda Oct. 10, 2022.  (Abubaker Lubowa/Reuters)

In another post he stated, “Israel stood with us when we were nobodies in the 1980s and 1990s. Why wouldn’t we defend her now that our GDP is $100 billion? One of the largest in Africa.”

Israel has historically trained Ugandan forces, including the general. It is understood that Uganda maintains a strong strategic partnership with Israel, with close security and intelligence ties.

Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen from the city of Ashkelon, Israel, Oct. 9, 2023.  (Amir Cohen/Reuters)

It wasn’t always like this. In 1976, with dictator Idi Amin aggressively opposing Israel, four terrorists hijacked Air France Flight 139 on its way from Tel Aviv to France. The plane was diverted to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. During the night of July 3, 1976, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) mounted a long-range rescue mission, originally codenamed Operation Thunderbolt, to rescue 106 mostly Israeli hostages being held.

The mission was retroactively renamed Operation Yonatan after the mission’s leader, Lt. Col. Yonatan “Yoni” Netanyahu, the elder brother of the current Israeli Prime Minister, was killed by a Ugandan sniper during the raid. The Israeli soldiers pulled off a successful rescue, but four hostages, seven hijackers and 45 Ugandan soldiers were killed.

Kainerugaba announced that in a further gesture of goodwill toward Israel, he intends to have a statue of Yonatan Netanyahu erected at the exact spot in Entebbe’s airport where he fell. This week, Kainerugaba posted a photo of the statue on X, dubbing it “a sneak peek.”

Democratic representatives, joined by a Republican colleague, have called for an explanation from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent following the recent visit of sanctioned Russian lawmakers to the United States. The visit, organized by Representative Anna Paulina Luna from Florida, included a tour of the U.S. Capitol, sparking controversy and concern.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Representatives Dina Titus from Nevada, Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania, Marcy Kaptur from Ohio, Mike Quigley from Illinois, Jim Costa from California, and Chellie Pingree from Maine, expressed their worries in a formal letter. They described the visit, which involved meetings with certain members of Congress and other officials, as “deeply concerning.”

The letter highlighted that these Russian legislators are under U.S. sanctions due to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Consequently, their entry into the U.S. would have necessitated special sanctions waivers, raising questions about the decision-making process behind their visit.

The members of Congress expressed that the presence of the State Duma members in Washington could potentially undermine U.S. efforts to support Ukraine and its European allies amidst ongoing conflict with Russia. They argued that such a visit risks legitimizing Russian officials who have played roles in dismantling international norms and runs counter to the fundamental goals of the sanctions policy.

The representatives are seeking detailed information on who authorized the sanctions waivers, the issuing of visas, and which office or agency initiated the waivers. They also questioned the national security or foreign policy objectives that might have been pursued through these meetings.

“At a minimum, the American people and Congress deserve full accounting of how and why this decision was made,” the letter continues. “The credibility of U.S. sanctions policy –– and our broader commitment to holding aggressors accountable –– depends on consistent and principled application.”

The Hill has reached out to the State and Treasury departments for comment.

Luna, who gave the lawmakers a tour of the Capitol on Thursday, has sought to position herself as a facilitator between the U.S. and Russia while pursuing peace in Ukraine.

“We are pushing for an ending to the war in Ukraine,” Luna previously told The Hill. “We want to make sure that there’s support from Congress in those peace talks as well as the president’s perspective on everything.”

The Russian delegation was led by Vyacheslav Alekseyevich Nikonov, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Duma. Other members of the delegation included Boris Aleksandrovich Chernyshov of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, deputy chair of the State Duma; Mikhail Gennadyevich Delyagin, member of the party A Just Russia — For Truth; Vladimir Pavlovich Isakov, member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation; and Svetlana Sergeyevna Zhurova, a member of the party United Russia.

All are subject to sanctions from the European Union, while others hold additional sanctions from the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and others. 

Some of Luna’s GOP colleagues objected to the visit, including Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee with Luna. He called Russia “an adversary” and said he would “have questions about what the objectives are” having them visit the U.S.

Reps. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), was one of four other U.S. members of Congress who met with the Russian delegation, including one Democrat, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (Texas).

Van Orden told The Hill that the “journey of a thousand miles is starting with a single step.”

“They’re just people, I mean they’re diplomats, one guy I guarantee he used to be a KGB agent — that’s a very good, educated guess,” he said. “But pleasant enough.”