USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: March 11, 2024 – USNI News by U.S. Naval Institute Staff / Mar 12, 2024 at 7:02 AM

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of March 11, 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
293 (USS 233, USNS 60)	97 (USS 65, USNS 32)	61 (45 Deployed, 16 Local)

In Japan

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is in port in Yokosuka. The carrier is set to depart for the East Coast later this year. USS George Washington (CVN-73) will replace Reagan in Japan.

The big deck amphibious warship USS America (LHA-6) departed Sasebo, Japan, on Thursday.

USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) arrived in Yokosuka on Monday for a regularly scheduled port visit.

In the East China Sea

USS John Finn (DDG-113) made the second U.S. transit of the Taiwan Strait for 2024.

“U.S. ships transit between the South China Sea and the East China Sea via the Taiwan Strait and have done so for many years. The transit occurred through a corridor in the Taiwan Strait that is beyond any coastal state’s territorial seas,” reads a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command said Chinese forces monitored the transit, according to a statement on Chinese social media service Weibo.

The Japan-based destroyer made a similar transit on Jan. 24.

In the South China Sea

Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is operating in the South 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. While the military has recently lifted the grounding guidance, Navy Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, commander of Naval Air Forces, told reporters Wednesday that the Navy CMV-22s returning to flight would be a “crawl, walk, run incremental approach. There will first be enhanced maintenance checks,” Cheever said, followed by functional flight checks done by the Navy’s most experienced pilots. “Return to flight is not the same as return to mission,” Cheever said. He added it will be weeks, if not months, before CMV-22 pilots and crews will be again transporting personnel and equipment to aircraft carriers.

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.

The National Security Cutter USCGC Bertholf (WMSL-750) is operating on the edge of the South China Sea near Singapore.

In the Western Pacific

Coast Guard cutter USCGC Harriet Lane (WMEC-903) is underway on its first deployment since the cutter relocated to Hawaii. The ship last reported in Cairns, Australia, on Thursday.

In the Atlantic

The ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), along with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) departed the Mediterranean and transited the Strait of Gibraltar Wednesday en route return to homeport following an extended deployment to the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.

Embarked units include Amphibious Squadron 8, 26th MEU (SOC), Fleet Surgical Team 8, Tactical Air Control Squadron 21, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26, Assault Craft Unit 2, Assault Craft Unit 4 and Beach Master Unit 2. The 26th MEU (SOC), based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., includes Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines; Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (Reinforced) and Combat Logistics Battalion 22.

In the Red Sea

U.S. ships are continuing 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 self-defense strikes against Houthi weapons that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) 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 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 Saturday, U.S. Navy aircraft and ships, with the aid of other coalition ships, shot down at least 28 one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles, according to USNI News’ timeline of events in the Red Sea. No warships or commercial vessels reported damage.

Over the past week, Central Command forces, not identified in the command’s releases, conducted multiple strikes on Houthi anti-ship cruise missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones. The forces, which at times include Navy warships, shot down six drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile launched toward the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

In the Gulf of Aden

On Friday, Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen into the Gulf of Aden at M/V Propel Fortune, a Singapore-flagged, owned, and operated vessel. The missiles did not impact the vessel. There were no injuries or damages reported.

On Wednesday, a Houthi-launched anti-ship ballistic missile hits M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier. The missile causes a fire aboard the ship and leads to three fatalities, the first since the Houthis began launching missiles and drones at ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

In the Arabian Sea

On Tuesday, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter operating under the Canadian-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of Combined Maritime Forces seized 770 kg of methamphetamines from a dhow in the Arabian Sea.

Sentinel-class fast response cutter USCGC Glen Harris (WPC-1144) seized the methamphetamines.

Glen Harris is forward deployed to Bahrain as part of a contingent of U.S. Coast Guard ships operating in the region.

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 Atlantic

Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) was spotted departing Norfolk, Va., on Sunday, 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.