HALIFAX, N.S. — Halifax is welcomed a big American visitor on Friday, when the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford and its strike group arrived in the Nova Scotia capital.

The carrier is the flagship of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which includes air, maritime, and ground assets from NATO allies and partner nations, according to a news release. 

The group set sail from Norfolk, Va., on Oct. 4, and has been exercising in the Atlantic Ocean.  

This port visit is the first outside the U.S., alongside ships from NATO nations to include Demark, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany.  

The nuclear-powered flagship is named in honour of the 38th president of the United States, who served in the navy during the Second World War.