The deployment of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group is being pushed back until Monday due to weather, a U.S. Fleet Forces spokesman told USNI News on Friday.
Originally scheduled for Friday, high winds and heavy seas will keep USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), amphibious transport dock San Antonio (LPD-17) and amphibious dock landing ship Carter Hall (LSD-50) at Norfolk Naval Station, Va. for the weekend.
Following the departure on Monday, the ARG will pick up Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) from Camp Lejeune and then will depart for a Middle East and the Mediterranean deployment.
The deployment was at one point planned to be deferred due to the sequestration and the Continuing Resolution battles in Congress, according to budget documents released by the service.
Instead, the Navy has reduced its carrier presence in U.S. Central Command and plans to pull frigates out of the U.S. Southern Command theater.
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps typically deploy two ARG/MEUs a year, one from each coast.
