The USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker is sponsored by CNA. These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of July 23, 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:

284

Ships Underway

Ships Deployed by Fleet

In Norfolk, Va.

The Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) has returned three months earlier than expected to Naval Station Norfolk, Va. on Saturday.

The short deployment is a “direct reflection of the dynamic force employment concept and the inherent maneuverability and flexibility of the U.S. Navy,” the service said in a statement last week. “The National Defense Strategy directs us to be operationally unpredictable while remaining strategically predictable.”

The strike group returned without the usual fanfare of a homecoming celebration.

“We don’t have any balloon makers, we don’t have a band and all that because this is a working port,” CSG 8 commander Rear Adm. Gene Black told local reporters on Saturday. “We’re not sure exactly how long we’re going to be here but when we’re told to sail, we’ll be ready to go. There’s nothing that drove us back other than showing our flexibility operationally and our ability to do things slightly different.”

Carrier Strike Group 8

Aircraft carrier:
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), homeported in Norfolk, Va.

Carrier Air Wing 1

CVW 1 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., was embarked aboard Harry S. Truman and includes nine squadrons and detachments:

• The “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Checkmates” of VFA-211 from Naval Air Station Oceania, Va.
• The “Sunliners” of VFA-81 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Knighthawks” of VFA-136 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
• The “Rooks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
• The “Seahawks” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 126 from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Dragon Slayers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11 from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Proud Warriors” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM 72) from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.

Destroyer Squadron 28

The leadership of DESRON 28 was embarked aboard Harry S. Truman and commands the CSG’s guided-missile destroyers.

• USS Farragut (DDG-99), homeported in Mayport, Fla.
• USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98), homeported in Norfolk, Va.
• USS Bulkeley (DDG-84), homeported in Norfolk, Va.
• USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), homeported in Norfolk, Va.
• USS The Sullivans (DDG-68), homeported in Mayport, Fla.
• USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), homeported in Norfolk, Va.

USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) deployed from Mayport, Florida on May 26. The destroyer and USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), that deployed from Norfolk on June 2, joined the Truman Carrier Strike Group while it was forward. Both The Sullivans and Jason Dunham remain deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. USS Bulkeley (DDG-84) and USS Farragut (DDG-99) also remain at sea.

The German Sachsen-class frigate FGS Hessen (F 221) operated as part of the strike group during the first half of the deployment before returning home.

Guided-missile Cruiser
USS Normandy (CG-60), homeported in Norfolk, Va.

In the Western Atlantic

USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77) is underway for training.

In the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic

The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is near the Strait of Gibraltar and headed west. The Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) had been operating in a disaggregated manner with USS Oak Hill (LSD-51) in the Baltic and USS New York (LPD-21) in the Mediterranean when Iwo Jima was in the U.S. 5th Fleet. The ships in the ARG are now coming together for the transit home to Norfolk, Va.

The Iwo Jima ARG with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployed on Feb. 7 from Mayport, Fla. The ARG includes Iwo Jima, Oak Hill, New York, 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 (PHIBRON) 4.

In the Western Pacific

Amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) is underway conducting carrier qualification and flight deck certification. The ship is embarked with elements of the 31 Marine Expeditionary Unit including the “Green Knights” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VFMA) 121. The Japan-based squadron is the first forward deployed Marine squadron fielding F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters.

Aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Antietam (CG-54) and USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) are operating off of Japan.

On July 19, Rear Adm. Karl Thomas took command of Task Force 70, which includes Ronald Reagan and the other strike group ships. Thomas replaces Rear Adm. Marc Dalton, who will soon leave Ronald Reagan’s homeport of Yokosuka for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to become director of maritime operations at U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Carrier Strike Group 5

Aircraft carrier:
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), homeported in Yokosuka, Japan

Carrier Air Wing 5

CVW 5, based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan, is embarked aboard Ronald Reagan and includes a total of nine squadrons and detachments:

• The “Royal Maces” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan
• The “Diamondbacks” of VFA-102 from MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
• The “Eagles” of VFA-115 from MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
• The “Dambusters” of VFA-195 from MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
• The “Shadowhawks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141 from MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
• The “Tiger Tails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 from MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
• The “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan
• The “Golden Falcons” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan
• The “Saberhawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77 from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan

Destroyer Squadron 15

DESRON 15 leadership is embarked aboard Ronald Reagan and commands the strike group’s guided-missile destroyers. Reagan is employing part of the squadron, which also deploys for other missions in the region.

• USS Mustin (DDG-89), homeported in Yokosuka, Japan

Guided-missile Cruisers

• USS Antietam (CG-54), homeported in Yokosuka, Japan
• USS Chancellorsville (CG-62), homeported in Yokosuka, Japan

In the Middle Pacific

The three-ship Essex Amphibious Ready Group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit left San Diego, Calif. on July 10 for an expected Western Pacific and Middle East deployment.

USS Essex (LHD-2), USS Anchorage (LPD-23) and USS Rushmore (LSD-47) deployed with a squadron of Marine F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211. The deployment is the first for Marine Joint Strike Fighters from the U.S., following a short float of Japan-based “Green Knights” of VMFA-121 on the forward-deployed amphibious warship USS Wasp (LHD-1) in March.

At the moment the Essex ARG, the Bonhomme Richard ARG, and the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) are all in the Hawaiian Operating Areas. Essex will ultimately go to U.S. 5th Fleet in the Middle East to replace the Iwo Jima ARG. The other ships are participating in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 exercise. The exercise kicked off on Wednesday, June 27.

Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 is embarked on Carl Vinson for the exercise and includes nine squadrons and detachments.

Carrier Air Wing 2

• The “Bounty Hunters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 2 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
• The “Blue Blasters” of VFA-34 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Kestrels” of VFA-137 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
• The “Golden Dragons” of VFA-192 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” Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 Detachment 2 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 HSM 78 – Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78 from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.

RIMPAC 2018 is the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

Participants include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam.

RIMPAC units participated in live fire events last week off of Kauai using decommissioned ships as targets. This phase is followed by a large at-sea exercise that trains the units in different warfare areas.

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) with Expeditionary Strike Group 3 and Marines embarked are participating in RIMPAC. On July 18, the head of naval operations for the Israeli Navy was hosted onboard Bonhomme Richard by Expeditionary Strike Group 3.

These are the ships participating in RIMPAC.

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.