These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of April 15, 2024, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

Ships Underway

Total Battle Force	Deployed	Underway
294 (USS 234, USNS 60)	93 (USS 63, USNS 30)	57 (39 Deployed, 18 Local)

In Japan

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is in port in Yokosuka. The carrier is set to depart for a repair availability in Washington state later this year. USS George Washington (CVN-73) will replace Reagan in Japan. USS America (LHA-6) is in port Sasebo.

In the East China Sea

Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is underway in the East China Sea.

The carrier has been using older C-2A Greyhounds as a temporary carrier-onboard delivery vehicle while the CMV-22B fleet was grounded following the November crash of an Air Force MV-22B Osprey off the coast of Japan.

Earlier this month, the grounding of the Ospreys was lifted, and the Navy has begun recertifying crews and aircraft for the logistics operations.

Carrier Strike Group 9

Carrier
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), homeported at San Diego, Calif.

Carrier Air Wing 11

• The “Fist of the Fleet” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
• The “Black Knights” of VFA 154 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Lemoore.
• The “Blue Blasters” of VFA 34 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Flying Checkmates” of VFA 211 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
• The “Rooks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 – EA-18G – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
• The “Liberty Bells” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 115 – E-2D – from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif.
• The “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Squadron (VRC) 40 – C-2A – from Naval Station, Norfolk, Va.
• The “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 – MH-60R – from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
• The “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 – MH-60S – from Naval Air Station North Island.

Cruiser
USS Lake Erie (CG-70), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.

Destroyer Squadron 23

Destroyer Squadron 23 is based in San Diego and is embarked on Theodore Roosevelt.

• USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), homeported at Naval Station Everett, Wash.
• USS Halsey (DDG-97), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.
• USS Daniel Inouye (DDG-118), homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In the Pacific

USCGC Harriet Lane (WMEC-903) returned to Hawaii Tuesday after completing a 79-day patrol in support of Coast Guard District Fourteen’s Operation Blue Pacific in Oceania. 

In the Eastern Mediterranean

USS Carney (DDG-64) and USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) shot down between four and six Iranian-launched ballistic missiles, a senior military official told reporters Sunday.

Both ships were in the Mediterranean. Carney most recently had made a port visit to Palermo, Sicily, Italy, on April 10. Arleigh Burke is forward deployed to Rota, Spain.

U.S. Central and European commands shot down more than 80 one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), in addition to the ballistic missiles, Central Command said in a release. The UAVs were launched from Iran and Yemen.

In the Red Sea

U.S. ships continue to patrol the Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, the U.S.-led multinational effort to protect ships moving through the region. Houthi forces in Yemen continue to attack merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, while U.S. naval forces in the region have continued strikes against Houthi weapons that U.S. Central Command says are a threat to naval and merchant ships. Houthi forces say they are targeting ships with connections to the United Kingdom, the U.S. and Israel.

As of Monday, the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was operating in the Red Sea.

Ike deployed on Oct. 14, while several of the carrier’s escorts left on Oct. 13. The carrier transited the Strait of Gibraltar on Oct. 28 and transited the Suez Canal on Nov. 4. The ship’s deployment was extended by order of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin late last month, a defense official confirmed to USNI news.

The U.N. Security Council on Jan. 10 approved a resolution calling on Yemen’s Houthi rebel group to “cease its brazen” attacks in the Red Sea.

Carrier Strike Group 2

Carrier
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), homeported at Norfolk, Va.

Carrier Air Wing 3

• The “Gunslingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Fighting Swordsmen” of VFA 32 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
• The “Rampagers” of VFA 83 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
• The “Wildcats” of VFA 131 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
• The “Zappers” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130 – EA-18G – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
• The “Screwtops” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 123 – E-2D – from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 – C-2A – from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
• The “Swamp Foxes” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 – MH-60R – from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.
• The “Dusty Dogs” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 – MH-60S – from Naval Station Norfolk.

Cruiser
USS Philippine Sea (CG-58), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.

Destroyer Squadron 22

Destroyer Squadron 22 is based in Norfolk, Va., and is embarked on Eisenhower.

• USS Gravely (DDG-107), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
• USS Mason (DDG-87), homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.

On Thursday, U.S. Central Command forces destroyed one anti-ship ballistic missile launched by the Houthis over the Red Sea.

On Wednesday, CENTCOM forces shot down three Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles. The Houthis launched two of the drones over the Gulf of Aden, while the other one was over the Red Sea. CENTCOM forces also destroyed eight UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

On Tuesday, USS Mason (DDG-87) and CENTCOM forces destroyed one inbound Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile over the Gulf of Aden.

The ASBM was likely targeting the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-owned vessel being escorted by USS Laboon (DDG-58) and USS Mason.

On Monday, USCENTCOM forces destroyed an air defense system with two missiles ready to launch and a ground control station in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen while also shooting down one unmanned aerial system.

In the Gulf of Aden

On Wednesday, CENTCOM forces shot down three Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles. Two drones were launched over the Gulf of Aden and one UAV was launched over the Red Sea.

On Sunday, the Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile toward the Gulf of Aden where a coalition ship was escorting MV Hope Island, a Marshall Islands-flagged, U.K.-owned, Italian-operated cargo ship. This was the fifth observed missile launch against the unnamed coalition ship and MV Hope Island.

In the Persian Gulf

U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) are forward-deployed to the region under Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA). PATFORSWA deploys Coast Guard personnel and ships with U.S. and regional naval forces throughout the Middle East. Initially deployed in 2003 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, PATFORSWA is now a permanent presence based out of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

In the Eastern Pacific

USCGC Bertholf (WMSL-750) is inport Alameda, Calif.

The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) returned to San Diego, Calif., on Thursday, delaying her deployment after suffering a casualty, USNI News reported.

In the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic

The ships carrying pieces to build a humanitarian aid pier in Gaza are in the midst of their journey across the Atlantic with some now operating in the Mediterranian Sea.

Five U.S. Army watercraft and a Marine Administration ready reserve transport ship are underway headed to the Eastern Mediterranean. USAV General Frank S. Benson (LSV-1) left Joint Base Langley-Eustis on March 9 and transited the Strait of Gibraltar last week. It was in port in Crete, as of Monday, according to ship spotters. In addition, USAV

As of Monday, USAV Montorrey (LCU-2030), USAV Matamoros (LCU-2026) were in port in Crete, while USAV SP4 James A. Loux (LSV-6) was sailing west near the island. USAV Wilson Wharf (LCU-2011) was in the Eastern Atlantic off the coast of North Africa, not yet in the Mediterranean Sea. The MARAD ship MV Roy P. Benavidez (TAKR-306) left on March 21 with the majority of the modular causeway pieces for the pier loaded aboard. As of Monday, Benavidez was near Crete.

From the East Coast, Military Sealift Command ships USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK-3010) and USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (TAK-3008) were transporting parts of Naval Beach Group One’s similar floating pier system to operate in tandem with the Army’s system.

Lopez was sailing off North Africa in the Mediterranean, and Bobo was still off the East Coast.

The general concept will have the Army build a pier that will be anchored to the shore in Gaza with no U.S. personnel setting foot in Israel. The Navy will build a transfer point two to three miles offshore where cargo – likely originating in Cyprus – will be transferred to the Army watercraft to be taken to the pier.

Based on the initial timelines, the pier could be completed by mid-May.

In the Western Atlantic

The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) is off the coast of North Carolina.

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) returned to Norfolk, Va., on Friday, according to ship spotters. The carrier will deploy to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations over the next few months as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Southern Seas 2024 deployment.

The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) departed Norfolk, Va., on Wednesday, according to ship spotters.

In addition to these major formations, not shown are others serving in submarines, individual surface ships, aircraft squadrons, SEALs, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Forces, Seabees, EOD Mobile Units and more serving throughout the globe.

U.S. NAVAL INSTITUTE STAFF APRIL 15, 2024 2:48 PM

The Coast Guard’s Honolulu ­-based “Indo-­Pacific Support Cutter ” CGC Harriet Lane returned to port Tuesday after its first patrol across Oceania.

It’s a new mission for an old ship. The Harriet Lane is a 40-year-old, 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter—known to the Coast Guard personnel who operate them as “270s.” It arrived in Hawaii in December after undergoing over a year’s worth of renovations at a Baltimore shipyard. It’s the 11th cutter to be assigned to the Honolulu-based Coast Guard District 14.

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In January it set sail for its first patrol, heading south into the high seas where members of its crew boarded fishing vessels to look for signs of illegal fishing. Over the course of its 79-day deployment, the cutter and its crew made port calls in American Samoa, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru and the Marshall Islands.

Over the course of the patrol, its crew participated in 27 vessel boardings and documented 12 violations of fishery laws.

The Coast Guard has worked to increase its presence and operations in the Pacific. In February 2023, Rear Adm. Michael Ryan, the Coast Guard deputy commandant for operations and policy, told military news outlet Defense One that the service intends to triple its deployments in the Pacific in coming years.

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The Lane’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Nicole Tesoniero, said “the Harriet Lane delivered on a commitment made to our Pacific partners for a more robust and persistent Coast Guard presence across the region … My confidence is bolstered by knowledge that the Harriet Lane is manned with a dedicated, professional and compassionate crew that could not be better equipped to handle the unique demands of this mission.”

Many Pacific Island countries lack navies or coast guards of their own, limiting their ability to patrol and enforce laws in their often vast territorial waters. Many have signed “shiprider agreements ” with the U.S. Coast Guard, in which local officials and law enforcement professionals ride along in U.S. vessels, giving local authorities access to U.S. personnel and resources to assist in operations.

Over the course of the Lane’s deployment, the ship and the crew did four boardings on the open ocean, with the rest in the maritime territory—or Exclusive Economic Zones—of Pacific Island countries alongside local authorities. Tesoniero said that working with shipriders aboard the Lane and learning about each country’s unique needs was a highlight of the deployment.

“Even ones that embarked for two or three days fell into the fold with the crew, ” she said.

The Lane and its crew also did a series of training and community outreach during port calls along the way. Ensign Aaron Motis said that a highlight of his deployment was visiting schools in Vanuatu, where members of the crew taught children about ocean safety and conservation.

Motis said throughout the deployment it was “great helping out the community and just like experiencing each culture and how different each one was and how they’re super welcoming.”

The Coast Guard has played an increasingly important role in U.S. strategy in the Pacific as Washington and Beijing compete for influence in the region. China has worked to build up influence around the globe, bringing several countries into its Belt and Road Initiative—a series of Chinese government-funded construction and infrastructure projects around the globe.

In Pacific Island nations that includes ports to support Chinese vessels and seafood-processing plants. Pacific Island nations rely on fishing charters and licenses to foreign fishermen as a critical source of income for their economies and have to walk a fine line between preserving and profiting from the fish in their waters.

Vanuatu is one of the countries that has signed the Belt and Road Initiative. In February, members of the Vanuatu police who were aboard the Lane as shipriders and working with the U.S. Coast Guardmen boarded several fishing boats and found that six Chinese vessels were violating local laws, including failing to record fish caught in their logbooks.

The Lane’s visit was the first time in years Vanuatu officials were able to physically inspect Chinese vessels actively fishing in their waters. In a statement to Reuters about the alleged violations, the Chinese Embassy in Vanuatu said the boats had fishing permits from Vanuatu’s government and that no crimes had occurred because “Chinese companies obey Vanuatu laws.”

On Friday, China’s ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong told reporters in the region that shiprider agreements and boardings of Chinese vessels are “illegal ” and “not binding to third parties.” When asked about the remarks at a news conference for Lane’s return to Hawaii, Coast Guard District 14 commander Rear Adm. Michael Day said “it’s an inaccurate statement, so I welcome the opportunity to correct the record.”

Day said, “These bilateral engagements are made in accordance with international law, with the host nation and the United States … We do these boardings at the behest of the host nations that invite us to work with them collaboratively to protect their EEZ’s.” He added that the U.S. does not target Chinese vessels and regularly boards vessels flagged to other countries that are operating around the region, and that most shiprider agreements have existed for decades.

The Lane’s crew has had little time for rest between arriving in Hawaii in December and deploying in January. They’re set for a busy year, with plans to deploy again as soon as June with another long patrol of the Pacific to make room in Pearl Harbor for international ships coming in this summer to participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific—the world’s largest naval war game.

“Honestly, most of this in-port will be preparing for our next out-port, ” said Motis.

___

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By Diana Stancy

The cruiser Antietam has moved from Japan to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, as part of a “planned rotation of forces” in the region.

The shift is part of a broader rearrangement of ships in the West Pacific — including swapping the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan with the George Washington. The GW previously served in Japan from 2008 to 2015.

The Antietam left its previous homeport in Yokosuka, Japan, in January, and participated in the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative mission to augment the Coast Guard’s maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania while en route to Hawaii.

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The cruiser, based in Japan since 2013, also conducted port visits in Suva, Fiji and Apra Harbor, Guam, during its transit across the Pacific.

“I’m proud of the Antietam crew for their execution of the Oceanic Maritime Security Initiative during our homeport shift from Yokosuka, Japan to Hawaii,” Capt. Victor Garza, commanding officer of Antietam, said in a statement. “I thank the families for the support they give their Sailors. It is their strength that enables us to go to sea.”

The cruiser is swapping spots with the destroyer McCampbell, which returned to Yokosuka in March.