New Delhi: Tension with Iran is at its peak in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump has warned of strict action against Iran. Meanwhile, America has deployed its most powerful aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the region, but this $13 billion Indian rupees-worth state-of-the-art warship is now facing a strange problem. Toilet system malfunctioning: Thousands of soldiers deployed on the ship are worried about basic facilities and are fighting among themselves.
Long queues at toilet jam
According to reports, there are 650 toilets on this ship, but most of them are clogged. The vacuum-based sewage system (VCHT) was designed to save water, but under the pressure of more than 4,600 crew members, it is repeatedly failing. There is a problem of clogging due to small pipes and accumulation of calcium.
Soldiers have to wait for 45 minutes to use the toilet. Some reports say that more than one maintenance call is coming every day. In 2025, there were more than 200 breakdowns in four days, where engineers had to work for 19 hours each. From 2023 till now, outside help has been taken more than 40 times.
Long deployment increased the difficulty
This ship is at sea since June 2025. Took part in the first Venezuelan operation, where President Nicolas Maduro was arrested. Now due to Iran tension the deployment has been increased to 8-11 months. Due to record breaking long duty, regular maintenance is not being done, due to which the problem has become more serious.
navy claim
The US Navy says that this problem is not affecting the mission or combat capability. The situation is improving, but experts believe that if such problems persist for a long time, the morale of the soldiers may fall and their work may be affected.
The world’s largest warship is struggling with ‘toilet war’ during a possible war with Iran. This incident is a reminder of the ill effects of technical shortcomings and long deployments.
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