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 Oct. 1, 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:

286

Ships Underway

Ships Deployed by Fleet

In the Western Pacific

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is underway in the Philippine Sea after Exercise Valiant Shield, which ran Sept. 16 to 23 in the Mariana Islands Range Complex and in Guam.

“The weeklong, U.S.-only exercise included 15,000 sailors, airmen, soldiers and Marines participating in maritime security operations, anti-submarine and air-defense drills and a sinking exercise,” read a report from the service. “The nation’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier has been on patrol of the Indo-Pacific region since leaving its homeport in August.”

Carrier Air Wing 5 is embarked on USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG-69) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) – and several other FDNF ships – are also underway with Reagan.

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

The Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) and embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are operating near Singapore. Last week, Chinese officials denied USS Wasp (LHD-1) entry into Hong Kong, U.S. officials confirmed to USNI News last week.

On Sept. 28, the ARG conducted a defense of the amphibious task force (DATF) drill in the South China Sea.

“The DATF drill included firing crew-served weapons attached to Wasp, such as .25 caliber and .50 caliber mounted machine guns. Marines assigned to Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines expended rounds using Light Armored Vehicles’ M242 Bushmaster 25 mm chain guns and .50 caliber mounted machine guns on Humvees. The drill also allowed Marine snipers to fire M107 semi-automatic sniper rifles, and machine gunners to employ lethal fires with M-240B medium machine guns,” according to a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command news release.

The Wall Street Journal reported the San Diego-based guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG-73) conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea near Chinese artificial islands in the Spratly Island chain.

In the Gulf of Oman

The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) – comprising Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2), San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD-23) and Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47) – and embarked 13th MEU are in the Gulf of Oman.

This past week, the first F-35B combat mission was conducted in Afghanistan and flown from Essex operating in the North Arabian Sea.

“The jets ‘conducted an air strike in support of ground clearance operations, and the strike was deemed successful by the ground force commander,’ according to a U.S. Marine Corps news release,” USNI News reported.

In the Eastern Pacific

Amphibious warship USS Boxer (LHD-4) is underway for training in the Southern California Operating Areas off of San Diego.

In the North Sea

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is now operating in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in the North Sea between Scotland and Norway.

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., is 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 is embarked aboard Harry S. Truman and commands the guided-missile destroyers that are operating as part of the CSG.

• 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.

Guided-missile Cruiser

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

In the Western Atlantic

Two F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters assigned to the Navy’s “Salty Dogs” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 landed on the U.K. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) on Sept. 25, 2018, to kick off two months of testing on Britain’s largest warship. Britain’s first carrier strike group is set to deploy in 2021 with a squadron of Marine F-35Bs embarked.

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.