These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of May 24, 2021, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

Total U.S. Navy Battle Force:

296

Ships Underway

Ships Deployed by Fleet

In Japan

USS America (LHA-6) is in port in Sasebo, Japan.

In the Philippine Sea

After completing its winter maintenance period in Yokosuka, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is underway conducting carrier qualifications ahead of the start of its spring patrol. The carrier left Japan last week, reported USNI News.

Carrier Strike Group 5

Yokosuka-based Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5 commands the Reagan CSG and is embarked on the carrier.

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

Carrier Air Wing 5

Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, 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
• The “Diamondbacks” of VFA-102 from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
• The “Eagles” of VFA-115 from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
• The “Dambusters” of VFA-195 from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
• The “Shadowhawks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141 Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
• The “Tigertails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
• The “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 Detachment 5 – from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
• The “Golden Falcons” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5 from Naval Station Atsugi, Japan
• The “Saberhawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77 from Naval Air Station Atsugi

Cruiser

USS Shiloh (CG-54), homeported in Yokosuka.

Destroyer Squadron 15

Destroyer Squadron 15 is based in Yokosuka, Japan, and is embarked on the carrier. U.S. 7th Fleet has not fully specified the escorts accompanying Reagan on its patrol, but the CSG includes:

• USS Halsey (DDG-97), homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In the Eastern Pacific

The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group completed Exercise Northern Edge 2021 and is now off the coast of San Diego before ending its deployment later this week. Carrier Air Wing 11 squadrons have returned to their home fields in Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., NAS Oceana, Va., NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., NAS Point Mugu, Calif., and NAS North Island, Calif. Guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG-59) and guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) returned to San Diego last week.

Carrier Strike Group 9

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

Carrier Air Wing 11

Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., is embarked aboard Theodore Roosevelt and includes a total of nine squadrons and detachments:

• The “Tomcatters” of VFA-31 – Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) – from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Golden Warriors” of VFA-87 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Blue Diamonds” of VFA-146 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
• The “Black Knights” of VFA-154 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
• The “Gray Wolves” of VAQ-142 – Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
• The “Liberty Bells” of VAW-115 – Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) – from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif.
• The “Providers” of VRC-30 – Detachment – Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) – from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
• The “Eight Ballers” of HSC-8 – Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) – from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
• The “Wolf Pack” of HSM-75 – Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) – from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.

Cruiser

• USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), homeported in San Diego, Calif.

Destroyer Squadron 23

Destroyer Squadron 23 is based in San Diego and is embarked on the carrier.

• USS Russell (DDG-59), homeported in San Diego, Calif.

In San Diego

The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group – which includes big deck amphib USS Makin Island (LHD-8) and amphibious transport docks USS San Diego (LPD-22) and USS Somerset (LPD-25) – returned to California on Sunday after completing its Middle East and Western Pacific deployment.

The Makin Island ARG had recently completed the Pacific Air Forces-led Northern Edge 2021 exercise with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group.

The elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit debarked and returned to their home bases – predominantly Camp Pendleton, Calif. The MEU included the Command Element; the Aviation Combat Element composed of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164 (Reinforced); the Ground Combat Element composed of Battalion Landing Team 1/4; and the Logistics Combat Element composed of Combat Logistics Battalion 15. Other units include Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 49, Tactical Air Control Squadron 11, Beach Master Unit 1, and Fleet Surgical Team 1 from San Diego and Assault Craft Unit 5 from Camp Pendleton, Calif.

In the North Arabian Sea

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), Carrier Air Wing 3 and IKE’s escorts are operating in the North Arabian Sea after arriving in U.S. Central Command in early April to support the ongoing anti-ISIS Operation Inherent Resolve. The White House has set a Sept. 11, 2021, date to complete a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, and it’s unclear what the carrier presence in the region will look like after the deadline.

Earlier in May, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said Iran’s behavior and the ongoing review of U.S. world military presence would determine how carriers would operate in the Middle East after the Afghan withdrawal.

“My take is that we continue these negotiations with Iran on a [new nuclear deal], that hopefully Iran begins to behave in an acceptable way, and that would lead to a reduced requirement for … a carrier strike group presence,” he said while speaking at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., reported USNI News.

Carrier Strike Group 2

Norfolk-based CSG 2 commands the Dwight D. Eisenhower CSG and is embarked on the carrier.

Aircraft carrier
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), homeported in Norfolk, Va.

Carrier Air Wing 3

Carrier Air Wing 3, based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., is embarked aboard Dwight D. Eisenhower and includes a total of nine squadrons and detachments:

• The “Fighting Swordsmen” of VFA-32 – Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) – from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Gunslingers” of VFA-105 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Wildcats” of VFA-131 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Rampagers” of VFA-83 from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Zappers” of VAQ-130 – Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
• The “Screwtops” of VAW-123 – Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) – from Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Rawhides” of VRC-40 – Detachment – Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) – from Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Dusty Dogs” of HSC-7 – Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) – from Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Swamp Foxes” of HSM-74 – Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) – from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.

Cruisers

• USS Monterey (CG-61), homeported in Norfolk, Va.
• USS Vella Gulf (CG-72), homeported in Norfolk, Va.

Destroyer Squadron 22

Destroyer Squadron 22 is based at Norfolk and its leaders are embarked on Eisenhower.

• USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116), homeported in Mayport, Fla.
• USS Laboon (DDG-58), homeported in Norfolk, Va.
• USS Mitscher (DDG-57), homeported in Norfolk, Va.
• USS Mahan (DDG-72), homeported in Norfolk, Va.

In the Mediterranean Sea

The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are in the Mediterranean Sea, having completed the Royal Navy’s Strike Warrior exercise and U.S. exercise Ragnar Viking.

“Royal Navy’s Strike Warrior exercise and U.S. exercise Ragnar Viking involved a total of 15 ships from four NATO states,” according to a U.S. Navy statement. Around 9,000 military members from the participating countries came together on May 17 in the final stage of the operations, which demonstrate the coordination abilities of NATO Allies.

USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) and HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) drilled together as part of Strike Warrior in the Atlantic. The drills served as the graduation exercises for the Royal Navy strike group’s global patrol that began over the weekend.

“Strike Warrior brought together over 84 aircraft, 20 ships and three submarines from multiple nations. The U.K. Carrier Strike Group, centered around HMS Queen Elizabeth, participated in its final test and was certified as ready for deployment during this year’s Strike Warrior exercise,” according to the U.S. Navy.

Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD-50) and amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD-17) make up the ARG. Embarked detachments for the Iwo Jima ARG include Amphibious Squadron Four, Fleet Surgical Team (FST) Six, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26, Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 21, Naval Beach Group (NBG) Two, Beach Master Unit (BMU) Two, Assault Craft Unit (ACU) Two and Four, and Sailors from Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) Two.

The 24th MEU, which is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., consists of a ground combat element, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/8, a logistics combat element, Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 24, and an aviation combat element, Medium Tilt-Rotor Squadron (VMM) 162 Reinforced. The 24th MEU also includes a Light Armored Reconnaissance detachment.

The Legend-class national security cutter USCGC Hamilton (WMSL-753) made a port call in Valletta, Malta on May 19 after exercising with the Maltese Coast Guard.

In the Western Atlantic

Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) is out of maintenance from Norfolk Naval Shipyard and is underway in the Virginia Capes for sea trials.

Truman went into the shipyard in July 2020 for a modified repair period following back-to-back deployments. Instead of spending seven months in the yard for a full planned incremental availability, the ship was slated to spend the same amount of time in the yard for a new type of repair called an extended carrier incremental availability, USNI News previously reported. Due to delays, the ECIA took 10 months. 

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, Seabees, Coast Guard cutters, EOD Mobile Units, and more serving throughout the globe.