USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Dec. 18, 2023

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Dec. 18, 2023, 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. This post has been updated to include more information on deployed and underway ships.

Ships Underway

In Japan

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) remains in its homeport of Yokosuka. USS America (LHA-6) is in Sasebo.

In Singapore

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group are visiting Singapore after operating in the Philippine Sea.

Vinson is using older C-2A Greyhounds flying out of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, as a temporary carrier-onboard delivery vehicle while the CMV-22B fleet is grounded following the crash of an Air Force MV-22B off the coast of Japan.

Carrier Strike Group 1

Carrier
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), homeported at San Diego, Calif.

Carrier Air Wing 2

• The “Bounty Hunters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 2 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
• The “Stingers” of VFA 113 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore
• The “Warhawks” of VFA 97 – F-35C – from Naval Air Station Lemoore
• The “Golden Dragons” of VFA 192 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore
• The “Gauntlets” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 136 – EA-18G – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
• The “Black Eagles” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 113 – E-2D – from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif.
• The “Titans” of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30 – CMV-22B – from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
• The “Blue Hawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78 – MH-60R – from Naval Air Station North Island
• The “Black Knights” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4 – MH-60S – from Naval Air Station North Island

Cruiser

• USS Princeton (CG-59), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.

Destroyer Squadron 1

Destroyer Squadron 1 is based in San Diego and is embarked on Carl Vinson.

• USS Hopper (DDG-70) homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
• USS Kidd (DDG-100), homeported at Naval Station Everett, Wash.
• USS Sterett (DDG-104), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.
• USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110), homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor.

In the Western Pacific

Pacific Partnership 24-1 kicked off its third mission stop in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 12. This mission stop includes a fly-in-only team of 76 Pacific Partnership 24-1 (PP 24-1) personnel. Due to the size of USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), the ship could not anchor off the coast of Pohnpei.

The team includes PP24-1 medical staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet band and Humanitarian and Disaster Relief members serving in Pohnpei.

Sailors assigned to Mercy marched in a Christmas parade in Palau on Dec. 17 ahead of the PP24-1 missions.

In the Eastern Mediterranean

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has extended the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group’s deployment in the Eastern Mediterranean, USNI News reported on Friday.

This is third extension for the Norfolk, Va., based carriers strike group since USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and its escorts deployed in May. As of Monday, the strike group has been deployed for 230 days.

San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) and embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) Bravo Command Element are also in the Mediterranean Sea. The amphibious warship is currently in port in Souda Bay, Greece.

Mesa Verde is part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). USS Bataan (LHD-5) and USS Carter Hall (LSD-50), the other two ships in the Bataan ARG, are currently operating in the Red Sea.

Carrier Strike Group 12

Carrier
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), homeported at Norfolk, Va.

Carrier Air Wing 8

• The “Ragin’ Bulls” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 37 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Blacklions” of VFA 213 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Oceana
• The “Golden Warriors” of VFA 87 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana
• The “Tomcatters” of VFA 31 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana
• The “Gray Wolves” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142 – EA-18G – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
• The “Bear Aces” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 124 – E-2D – from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 – C-2A – from Naval Air Station Norfolk
• The “Spartans” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70 – MH-60R – from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.
• The “Tridents” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 – MH-60S – from Naval Air Station Norfolk

Cruiser

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

Destroyer Squadron 2

Destroyer Squadron 2 is based in Norfolk, Va., and is embarked on Ford. Due to the length of the deployment. The destroyers assigned to the strike group have changed since the initial deployment.

• USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), homeported at Naval Station Rota, Spain.
• USS Bulkeley (DDG-84), homeported at Rota.
• USS Ramage (DDG-61) returned to its Norfolk homeport.
• USS McFaul (DDG-74), homeported at Norfolk.
• USS Thomas Hudner(DDG-116), homeported at Mayport, Fla.

In the Red Sea

USS Carney (DDG-64) shot down 14 suspected attack drones over the Red Sea on Saturday, and a Royal Navy destroyer downed another drone that was targeting commercial ships, the British and American militaries said.

U.S. Central Command said that the destroyer USS Carney “successfully engaged 14 unmanned aerial systems” launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

According to The Associated Press, “U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said that HMS Diamond (D34) fired a Sea Viper missile and destroyed a drone that was ‘targeting merchant shipping.’ The overnight action is the first time the Royal Navy has shot down an aerial target in anger since the 1991 Gulf War.”

The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group is in the Red Sea. Bataan and Carter Hall, with elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked, are in the northern Red Sea as part of the U.S. naval buildup in the region.

Bataan and Carter Hall entered the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden on Oct. 27, according to ship spotters. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit is embarked across Bataan, Carter Hall and Mesa Verde.

Among many missions for which Marines are trained is evacuating civilians in conflict zones. USNI News visited the unit in April during a non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) in North Carolina.

Embarked units include Amphibious Squadron 8, 26th MEU (SOC), Fleet Surgical Team 8, Tactical Air Control Squadron 21, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26, Assault Craft Unit 2, Assault Craft Unit 4 and Beach Master Unit 2. The 26th MEU (SOC), based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., includes Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines; Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (Reinforced) and Combat Logistics Battalion 22.

In the Gulf of Aden

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike group has left the Persian Gulf and is now on station off the coast of Yemen, a defense official confirmed to USNI News on Monday. The other ships accompanying Ike are guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), and guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely (DDG 107) and USS Stehem (DDG-63).

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) deployed on Oct. 14, while several of the carrier’s escorts left on Oct. 13. The carrier transited the Strait of Gibraltar on Oct. 28 and transited the Suez Canal on Nov. 4.

U.S. Central Command announced that an Ohio-class submarine arrived in its area of responsibility earlier last month. The submarine was later confirmed as USS Florida (SSG-728). These SSGNs carry up to 154 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles.

Carrier Strike Group 2

Carrier
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), homeported at Norfolk, Va.

Carrier Air Wing 3

• The “Gunslingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
• The “Fighting Swordsmen” of VFA 32 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
• The “Rampagers” of VFA 83 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
• The “Wildcats” of VFA 131 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
• The “Zappers” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130 – EA-18G – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
• The “Screwtops” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 123 – E-2D – from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
• The “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 – C-2A – from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
• The “Swamp Foxes” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 – MH-60R – from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.
• The “Dusty Dogs” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 – MH-60S – from Naval Station Norfolk.

Cruiser

• USS Philippine Sea(CG-58), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.

Destroyer Squadron 22
Destroyer Squadron 22 is based in Norfolk, Va., and is embarked on Eisenhower.

• USS Gravely(DDG-107), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
• USS Mason(DDG-87), homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.

A U.S. Coast Guard ship seized illegal drugs worth over $6 million from a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman, Dec. 12. Crewmembers from the Sentinel-class fast response cutter USCGC Glen Harris (WPC-1144) observed individuals on a fishing vessel throw seven bales of material over the side. The material was discovered to be 174 kilograms of heroin.

Glen Harris arrived in the Middle East region last year and operates from Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

The fast response cutter is part of a contingent of U.S. Coast Guard ships forward-deployed to the region under Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA). PATFORSWA deploys Coast Guard personnel and ships alongside U.S. and regional naval forces throughout the Middle East. Initially deployed in 2003 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, PATFORSWA is now a permanent presence based out of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

In the South Pacific

USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) is in port in Hobart, Australia, according to ship spotters.

In the Eastern Pacific

Amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) is operating off the coast of California ahead of a planned deployment next year.

In Seattle, Wash.

USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) returned to her homeport of Seattle, WA on 15 December, completing her circumnavigation deployment.

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, EOD Mobile Units and more serving throughout the globe.