USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: March 5, 2018

March 5, 2018 5:00 PM - Updated: March 5, 2018 8:41 PM
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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 5, 2018, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the map reflects the location of the capital ship.

Total U.S. Navy Battle Force:

282

Ships Underway

Deployed Ships Underway Non-deployed Ships Underway Total Ships Underway
47 25 72

Ships Deployed by Fleet

Fleet Forces 3rd Fleet 4th Fleet 5th Fleet 6th Fleet 7th Fleet Total
0 5 1 21 18 51 96

In the Western Pacific

Vice Adm. Phillip G. Sawyer, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, speaks to members of the press on the pier after a welcome ceremony in Da Nang, Vietnam on March 5, 2018. US Navy Photo

On Monday, USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) anchored off Da Nang, Vietnam, the central Vietnam port city that served as a major staging post for the American war effort and the home of a major air base during Vietnam War.

“For the first time since the end of the Vietnam War, a United States aircraft carrier is a port call in Vietnam, signaling how China’s rise is bringing together former foes in a significant shift in the region’s geopolitical landscape,” reported The New York Times.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is in the Western Pacific at a time the Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), is moored in its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, for a planned maintenance period that Navy officials say is expected to last a couple of months.

Carrier Strike Group 1

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is underway. The Carl Vinson Strike Group is currently operating in the Western Pacific as part of a regularly scheduled deployment on Feb. 28, 2018. US Navy Photo

Aircraft carrier:
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), homeported in San Diego, Calif.

Carrier Air Wing 2

CVW 2 is embarked aboard Carl Vinson and includes nine squadrons and detachments:

  • The “Bounty Hunters” of Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 2 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
  • The “Blue Blasters” of VFA-34 from Naval Air Station Oceania, Va.
  • The “Kestrels” of VFA-137 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
  • The “Golden Dragons” of VFA-192 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
  • The “Gauntlets” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 136 from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
  • The “Black Eagles” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 113 from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif.
  • The “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
  • The “Black Knights” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4 from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
  • The “Blue Hawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM 78) from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.

Destroyer Squadron 1
The leadership of DESRON 1 is embarked aboard Carl Vinson and commands the CSG’s guided-missile destroyers.

  • USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108), homeported in San Diego, Calif.
  • USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112), homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Guided-missile Cruiser
USS Lake Champlain (CG-57), homeported in San Diego, Calif.

Carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is in port in Yokosuka, Japan, for a maintenance availability.

An F-35B Lightning II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 touches down on the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) on March 5, 2018. US Navy Photo

USS Wasp (LHD-1) departed from Sasebo, Japan, on March 3, 2018, to begin a routine deployment in the Indo-Pacific region using an upgunned Expeditionary Strike Group concept to strengthen regional alliances and provide rapid-response capability.

Guided-missile USS Sterett (DDG-104) and USS Dewey (DDG-105) are underway to support the Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) and will train with forward-deployed amphibious ships. The patrol will be the first operational deployment for the Marine F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

Marines, assigned to the 3rd Marines Division (MARDIV), fire M4 carbines during a live-fire exercise on the starboard aircraft elevator of the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6). US Marine Corps Photo

The Bonhomme Richard ESG with embarked Marines assigned to 3rd Marine Division (MARDIV) arrived in Manila on Monday for a scheduled port visit. The ESG and Marines recently completed Exercise Cobra Gold 2018 in Thailand.

The Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group is underway for a regularly scheduled patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

In the Middle Pacific

Hospital ship USNS Mercy arrives at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, to support Pacific Partnership 2018 (PP18) on March 3, 2018. US Navy Photo

Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) arrived in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on March 3 on its way to the Pacific Partnership 2018 exercise that began on Feb. 23. U.S. ships will visit countries bordering the South China Sea, including Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia.

“Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific Region. [The exercise] includes more than 800 military and civilian personnel from the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, France, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan, and is scheduled to make mission stops in Micronesia, South and Southeast Asia from February through June 2018,” read a Navy statement.
Mercy is joined on the Pacific Partnership mission by MSC expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Fall River (T-EPF 4). Fall River will make separate mission stops in Yap, Palau, Borneo-Malaysia, and Thailand.”

In the Persian Gulf

Sailors in the air traffic control center aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) monitor aircraft on the flight deck on Feb. 27, 2018. US Navy Photo

The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is operating in the Persian Gulf. The CSG has been conducting air strikes in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The U.S. airstrikes also intend to maintain pressure on the Taliban throughout the winter period.

Carrier Strike Group 9

An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the “Stingers” of Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 113 launches from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) on Feb. 27, 2018. US Navy Photo

Aircraft carrier:
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), homeported in San Diego, Calif.

Carrier Air Wing 17
CVW 17 is embarked aboard Theodore Roosevelt and includes nine squadrons and detachments:

  • The “Stingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
  • The “Mighty Shrikes” of VFA-94 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
  • The “Redcocks” of VFA-22 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
  • The “Checkerboards” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312 from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.
  • The “Cougars” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
  • The “Sun Kings” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 116 from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif.
  • The “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
  • The “Indians” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
  • The “Battlecats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.

Destroyer Squadron 23
The leadership of DESRON 23 is embarked aboard Theodore Roosevelt and commands the CSG’s guided-missile destroyers.

  • USS Sampson (DDG-102), homeported in Everett, Wash.
  • USS Preble (DDG-88), homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
  • USS Halsey (DDG-97), homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Guided-missile Cruiser
USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), homeported in San Diego, Calif.

In the Mediterranean Sea

Seaman Andrew Kiley takes navigation readings aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) as the ship transits the Strait of Gibraltar on Feb. 28, 2018. US Navy Photo

The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which deployed on Feb. 7 from Mayport, Fla., are now in the Mediterranean Sea and have chopped into the U.S. 6th Fleet and European Command area of responsibility. The Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) includes amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), amphibious transport dock USS New York (LPD-21), dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD-51), Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 8 and FST-4, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 22, components of Naval Beach Group (NBG) 2 and the embarked staff of Amphibious Squadron 4.

In the Eastern Pacific

Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) perform a ceremonial gun salute during a burial-at-sea ceremony on the ship’s starboard elevator on March 4, 2018. US Navy Photo

USS Essex (LHD-2) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are underway in the Southern California Operating Areas as they continue pre-deployment preparations and training. This will be the first West Coast ARG to deploy with the F-35B. USS America (LHA-6) is underway off San Diego, Calif.

In addition to these major formations, not shown are thousands of others serving in submarines, individual surface ships, aircraft squadrons, SEALs, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Forces, Coast Guard cutters and more serving throughout the globe.

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