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 Aug. 13, 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 Japan

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) and its strike group returned home to Yokosuka July 24 after a two-month patrol of the South China Sea, East China Sea and the Philippine Sea.

In the Western Pacific

USS Wasp (LHD-1) and USS Ashland (LSD-48) departed Sasebo, Japan for a deployment in the Western Pacific. It’s the second time Wasp has embarked with a Marine squadron of F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters following a short float with the Japan-based “Green Knights” of VMFA-121 in March.

The Essex Amphibious Ready Group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit are searching for a missing 13th MEU Marine in the Surigao Strait and the Sulu Sea off the southern Philippines.

The Essex ARG left San Diego on July 10 for an expected Western Pacific and Middle East deployment.

The ARG includes amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2), amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD-23) and dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47) deployed with F-35B Lighting II Joint Strike Fighters from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211. The deployment is the first for Marine F-35s from the U.S.

Rushmore arrived last week in Jakarta for the 24th Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Indonesia.

“The U.S. and Indonesian Navy engage annually in bilateral and multilateral exercises across Southeast Asia including Pacific Partnership, the largest annual humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission, Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) involving nearly a dozen regional partners and Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) in its third iteration,” read a statement from the Navy.
“CARAT Indonesia 2018 will incorporate a robust sea phase involving a gunnery exercise (GUNNEX) to maintain sailors’ readiness with onboard weapon systems, air defense exercise (ADEX) aimed to increase proficiency in air and missile defense and visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) exercise to increase and maintain proficiency in boarding vessels that may harbor illegal weapons and drugs.”

In the Middle Pacific

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) returned to San Diego on Aug. 8 after completion of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 exercise in Hawaii.

Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 was embarked in the Carl Vinson 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.

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6), with the Expeditionary Strike Group 3 embarked, departed Pearl Harbor on Aug. 8.

In the Eastern Pacific

USS Boxer (LHD-4) is underway in the Southern California Operating Areas.

USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) – currently homeported in Bremerton, Wash. — is operating off the coast of California with Carrier Strike Group 3.

Carrier Strike Group 3, operating as #CSG3United. #LookAhead #NavyReadiness pic.twitter.com/HKaq4Djy0e

— USS John C. Stennis (@stennis74) August 13, 2018

“On Friday, Huntington Ingalls Industries was awarded an advance planning contract for the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74),” according to the company. “Delivered to the Navy in 1995, USS John C. Stennis will be the seventh Nimitz-class carrier to undergo an RCOH, representing 35 percent of all maintenance and modernization completed during its 50-year service life.
The RCOH is scheduled to begin in January 2021.

In the Western Atlantic

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is underway conducting Tailored Ship’s Training Availability and Final Evaluation Problems (TSTA/FEP). TSTA prepares the ship and crew for full integration into a carrier strike group through a wide range of mission-critical operations.

USS George H W Bush (CVN-77) was underway in the Virginia Capes Operating Areas for routine readiness training.

In Mayport, Fla.

The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) completed offload of Marine squadrons and equipment of the 26 Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) in North Carolina on Aug. 6. The entire Iwo Jima ARG returned home to Mayport on Aug. 9.

The ARG includes USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7). USS New York (LPD-21), 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 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.