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. 28, 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 as of Dec. 21, 2023
| Total Battle Force | Deployed | Underway |
| 291 (USS 232, USNS 59) |
46
|
52 (46 Deployed, 6 Local) |
In Japan
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is in port Yokosuka. USS America (LHA-6) is in Sasebo.
In the South China Sea
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group are operating in the South China Sea after concluding a port visit to Singapore.
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
The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) arrived Dec. 21 in the Republic of Palau to begin the fourth mission stop of Pacific Partnership 24-1, the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific region.
In Souda Bay, Greece
USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78) arrived Souda Bay, Crete Dec. 26 for a port visit.
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.
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 Eastern Mediterranean Sea
USS Bataan (LHD-5) and USS Carter Hall (LSD-50), with elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked, entered the Eastern Mediterranean Sea from the Red Sea on Thursday.
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 USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19).
U.S. 6th Fleet said Bataan and Carter Hall would rejoin Mesa Verde which was operating in the Eastern Mediterranian.
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 Red Sea
Guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG-58) and fighters from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) interdicted a dozen suicide drones and anti-ship missiles on Tuesday, according to U.S. Central Command.
The missiles and drones, “were fired by the Houthis over a 10-hour period which began at approximately 6:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) on December 26. There was no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries,” reads the statement.
On Dec. 23, Laboon shot down four suicide drones during its Operation Prosperity Guardian originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen that were inbound to Laboon. There were no injuries or damage in this incident.
On the same day, two ships in the Southern Red Sea reported they were under attack. The M/V Blaamanen, a Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker, reported a near miss of a Houthi one-way attack drone with no injuries or damage reported. A second vessel, the M/V Saibaba, a Gabon-owned, Indian-flagged crude oil tanker, reported that it was hit by a one-way attack drone with no injuries reported. Laboon responded to the distress calls from these attacks. These attacks represent the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since Oct. 17, according to CENTCOM.
The Pentagon, on Dec. 18, announced an initiative to protect commercial traffic in the region after almost two months of attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea by forces in Yemen.
Operation Prosperity Guardian is a multi-national push to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden under the structure of the existing Combined Task Force 153, according to the statement from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
“Countries that seek to uphold the foundational principle of freedom of navigation must come together to tackle the challenge posed by this non-state actor launching ballistic missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) at merchant vessels from many nations lawfully transiting international waters,” reads the statement from Austin.
“This is an international challenge.”
In the Gulf of Aden
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is on station off the coast of Yemen, a defense official confirmed to USNI News. The other ships accompanying Ike are guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) and guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely (DDG 107) and USS Stethem (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.
In the Persian Gulf
U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) are forward-deployed to the region under Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA). PATFORSWA deploys Coast Guard personnel and ships with 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) departed Hobart, Australia, Dec. 20, and is en route McMurdo Station in Antarctica with an expected arrival on Dec. 31.
In the Eastern Pacific
Amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) returned to port after operating off the coast of California ahead of a planned deployment next year.
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.
