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. 31, 2022, 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.
Ships Underway
| Total Battle Force | Deployed | Underway |
| 292 (USS 236, USNS 56) |
98 |
57 (42 Deployed, 15 Local) |
Ships Deployed by Fleet
| 2nd Fleet | 3rd Fleet | 4th Fleet | 5th Fleet | 6th Fleet | 7th Fleet | Total |
| 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 25 | 55 | 98 |
In the Western Pacific
The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is underway in the Western Pacific off of the Philippines. The strike group made a port call to Manila from Oct. 15 to 18.
Last week, the Reagan CSG and USS New Orleans (LPD-18) operated in the Philippine Sea with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Royal Canadian Navy for a joint exercise, USNI News reported on Friday.
The joint U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Task Force 76/3 started experimenting with concepts for joint operations in the Indo-Pacific region last week, U.S. 7th Fleet said.
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) includes embarked with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) and destroyer USS Higgins (DDG-76). New Orleans is part of the Amphibious Ready Group with USS Tripoli (LHA-7), with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47). Littoral Combat Ship USS Oakland (LCS-24) is operating with the ARG.
Canadian frigates HMCS Vancouver (FFH331) and HMCS Winnipeg (FFH338) participated for the Royal Canadian Navy, while Japanese destroyer JS Kirisame (DD-104) also joined.
“Both Canadian frigates are deployed to the Indo-Pacific under Operation Projection, the Canadian Armed Forces presence operations in the region. Vancouver is part of Operation Neon, which is Canada’s contribution to enforce United Nations sanctions on North Korea. Kirisame is part of the JMSDF’s Indo-Pacific Deployment 2022,” reported USNI News.
Carrier Strike Group 5
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 VFA-27 – Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) – from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.
- The “Diamondbacks” of VFA-102 from MCAS Iwakuni.
- The “Eagles” of VFA-115 from MCAS Iwakuni.
- The “Dambusters” of VFA-195 from MCAS Iwakuni.
- The “Shadowhawks” of VAQ-141 – Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) – from MCAS Iwakuni.
- The “Tiger Tails” of VAW-125 – Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) – from MCAS Iwakuni.
- The “Providers” of VRC-30 – Detachment 5 – Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) – from MCAS Iwakuni.
- The “Golden Falcons” of HSC-12 – Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) – from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan.
- The “Saberhawks” of HSM-77 – Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) – from Naval Air Facility Atsugi.
Cruisers
USS Chancellorsville (CG-62), homeported in Yokosuka, Japan.
Destroyer Squadron 15
Destroyer Squadron 15 is based in Yokosuka, Japan, and is embarked on the carrier. Destroyers from Destroyer Squadron 15 are also assigned to the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.
- USS Higgins (DDG-76), homeported in Yokosuka.
Amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) is underway off of Indonesia. Tripoli departed Naval Station San Diego, Calif., for an independent deployment to the Western Pacific on May 2. For the first half of its deployment, Tripoli had been operating under the “lightning carrier” or “assault carrier” concept, in which it had more than a dozen F-35Bs aboard during its Pacific deployment. Tripoli then transitioned to an amphibious ready force with the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Reinforced) embarked.
In Sasebo, Japan
USS America (LHA-6) remains in its homeport in Sasebo, Japan
In the Adriatic Sea
The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group remains on station in the Adriatic Sea. The CSG was placed under NATO command on Oct. 14 as part of the Neptune Strike 2022 exercise series, USNI News reported. The exercise began at Strike Force NATO headquarters in Oeiras, Portugal, according to a U.S. 6th Fleet news release. Besides the U.S., Albania, Canada, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom participated.
Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2) is operating in the Mediterranean Sea. U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Scott Sciretta, who assumed command of the group on July 1, is embarked aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98) as SNMG 2’s flagship.
According to a Navy news release, ships from the Standing NATO Maritime Group provided the defensive screen around the carrier for NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s visit to USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) in the Adriatic Sea on Oct. 25. SNMG2, along with its flagship, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98), Spanish Navy Alvaro de Bazan-class guided-missile frigate ESPS Cristobal Colon (F 105), French Navy Aquitaine-class frigate FS Provence (D 652), Turkish frigate TCG Gemlik (F 492), Germany Navy Rhön-class tanker FGS Spessart (A 1442) and the United Kingdom’s Daring-class air-defense destroyer HMS Defender (D 36) took part in operations with the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group.
Carrier Strike Group 10
Carrier
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), homeported in Norfolk, Va.
Carrier Air Wing 7
Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, based on Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., is embarked on Bush and includes:
- The “Pukin’ Dogs” of VFA-143 Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) flying F/A-18Es from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
- The “Jolly Rogers” of VFA-103 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
- The “Sidewinders” of VFA-86 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
- The “Knighthawks” of VFA-136 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore.
- The “Patriots” of VAQ-140 – EA-18G – Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
- The “Bluetails” of VAW-121 – E-2D – Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) – from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
- The “Rawhides” of VRC-40 – Detachment – C-2A – Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) – from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
- The “Nightdippers” of HSC-5 – MH-60S – Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) – from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
- The “Grandmasters” of HSM-46 – MH-60R – Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) – from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.
Cruiser
USS Leyte Gulf (CG-55), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
Destroyer Squadron 26
Destroyer Squadron 26 is based in Norfolk and is embarked on the carrier. The following ships deployed with the strike group.
- USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.
- USS Truxtun (DDG-103), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk.
- USS Farragut (DDG-99), homeported at Naval Station Mayport.
- USS Nitze (DDG-94), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk.
In Halifax, Canada
The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (CSG) arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Oct. 28 for its first international port visit, according to the Navy.
The leaders aboard the ship told The Globe and Mail newspaper that the visit to Halifax stressed the importance of alliances.
As part of the visit, “thousands of sailors, most of them from the carrier, filled city streets through the weekend in numbers unseen since before the pandemic,” reported the paper.
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) left Naval Station Norfolk, Va. on Oct. 4, 2022, and will operate throughout the Atlantic, exercise with allies and partners and operationally employ the carrier air wing for the first time.
Ford features 23 new technologies, including the Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), the Dual-Band Radar, Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE) and the new A1B nuclear reactor design.
Carrier Strike Group 12
Carrier
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
Carrier Air Wing 8
Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, based on Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., will embark on Ford and includes nine squadrons and detachments:
- The “Golden Warriors” of VFA-87 Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) flying F/A-18Es from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
- The “Ragin’ Bulls” of VFA-37 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
- The “Black Lions” of VFA-213 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
- The “Tomcatters” of VFA-31 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
- The “Gray Wolves” of VAQ-142 – EA-18G – Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
- The “Bear Aces” of VAW-124 – E-2D – Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) – from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
- The “Rawhides” of VRC-40 – Detachment – C-2A – Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) – from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
- The “Tridents” of HSC-9 – MH-60S – Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) – from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
- The “Spartans” of HSM-70 – MH-60R – Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) – from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.
Cruiser
USS Normandy (CG-60), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk.
Destroyer Squadron 2
Destroyer Squadron 26 is based in Norfolk and is embarked on the carrier. The following ships deployed with the strike group.
- USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116), homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.
- USS Ramage (DDG-61), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk.
- USS McFaul (DDG-74), homeported at Naval Station Mayport.
The CSG also includes fleet logistics ships USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE-5) and USNS Joshua Humphreys (T-AO-188).
In Bremerton, Washington
The Nimitz CSG completed its Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) in the Southern California Operating Areas, reported The Kitsap Sun. USS Nimitz (CVN-68) returned to its homeport of Bremerton, Wash., on Oct. 28. Other units returned to their respective home ports and airfields. The CSG is expected to deploy to the Western Pacific later this year or in early 2023. Nimitz was commissioned in 1975. Current plans have the ship decommissioning in 2025. There are ongoing discussions about whether to extend that date.
Carrier Strike Group 11
Carrier
USS Nimitz (CVN-68), homeported in Bremerton, Wash.
Carrier Air Wing 17
Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., will be embarked aboard Nimitz for COMPTUEX and includes a total of nine squadrons and detachments:
- The “Fighting Redcocks” of VFA-22 Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) flying F/A-18Fs from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
- The “Mighty Shrikes” of VFA-94 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Lemoore.
- The “Kestrels” of VFA-137 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore.
- The “Blue Diamonds” of VFA 146 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore.
- The “Cougars” of VAQ-139 – EA-18G – Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
- The “Sun Kings” of VAW-116 – E-2D – Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) – from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif.
- The “Providers” of VRC-30 – C-2A – Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) – from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
- The “Indians” of HSC-6 – MH-60S – Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) – from Naval Air Station North Island.
- The “Battle Cats” of HSM-73 – MH-60R – Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) – from Naval Air Station North Island.
Cruiser
USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.
Destroyer Squadron 9
Destroyer Squadron 9 is based in Everett, Wash., and is embarked on Nimitz.
- USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG- 108), homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
- USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor.
- USS John Finn (DDG-113) homeported at Naval Station San Diego.
In addition to these major formations, not shown are 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.
