USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: Jan. 11, 2024

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of Jan. 11, 2024, 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

In Japan

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is in port Yokosuka. USS America (LHA-6) is in Sasebo.

In Manila, the Philippines

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 1, with Carrier Air Wing 2 embarked, USS Princeton (CG-59), USS Kidd (DDG-100) and USS Sterett (DDG-104) are in Manilla for a scheduled port visit.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) aircraft carrier, USS Princeton (CG 59) Ticonderoga-class cruiser and USS Kidd (DDG 100)/USS Sterett (DDG 104) Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA guided missile destroyers in Manila, Philippines – January 8, 2024

SRC: FB- MaxDefense Philippines pic.twitter.com/yx1Ntvd8zo

— WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) January 9, 2024

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 November 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 in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia, for its next 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 the Atlantic

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is in the Atlantic and on its way home after passing through the Strait of Gibraltar on Jan. 5, U.S. 6th Fleet announced.

USS Normandy (CG-60), part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, also transited the strait Friday, 6th Fleet said in a news release. USS McFaul (DDG-74) and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116), assigned to the carrier strike group, returned home to Norfolk, Va., and Mayport, Fla., respectively, Friday, USNI News reported.

Ford spent 244 days in the Mediterranean Sea as part of an overall eight-month deployment. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin extended the carrier strike group three times during its deployment, most recently in December. The deployments were also extended in October and November, USNI News reported.

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), returned to its Norfolk homeport.
• USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116), returned to its Mayport, Fla homeport.

In the Eastern Mediterranean

With the Ford Strike Group heading home, USS Bataan (LHD-5) and USS Carter Hall (LSD-50), with elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked, moved into the Eastern Mediterranean, joining USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) which was already operating in the Eastern Mediterranean. The move brings all three ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group back together.

U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) will participate in a MEU(SOC) Exercise named “Odyssey Encore,” in the vicinity of Volos, Greece, through Jan. 17. The 14-day exercise is Marine Air-Ground Task Force readiness sustainment one, which will focus on advanced skills and operations capabilities Marines to need to be able to respond to crises in the Tri-Geographic Combatant Command region.

This is the first exercise for the 26th MEU(SOC) since the Bataan ARG reaggregated on Dec. 28.

Among many missions Marines are trained in is evacuating civilians from conflict zones. USNI News visited the unit in April during a noncombatant evacuation operation 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

The Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile around 2 a.m. local time Thursday, U.S. Central Command said in a statement on social media site X. It is the 27th attack on shipping in the Red Sea since Nov. 19.

On Tuesday, the Houthis launched drones, anti-ship cruise missiles and an anti-ship ballistic missile toward the Red Sea shipping lanes. USS Laboon (DDG-58), USS Gravely (DDG-107), USS Mason (DDG-87) and F/A-18s from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), along with the United Kingdom’s HMS Diamond (D34), shot down 18 one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles, two anti-ship cruise missiles and one anti-ship ballistic missile, USNI News reported.

UK Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps called it the largest attack on a British naval ship “in decades.”

Yesterday saw the largest attack on a Royal Navy warship in decades.

I’d like to thank the crew of @HMSDiamond for their heroic service in the Red Sea, as they continue to defend innocent lives and global trade from these intolerable Houthi attacks.

The successful destruction… pic.twitter.com/BygNrD8aAg

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 10, 2024

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 Eisenhower are guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) and guided-missile destroyers Gravely and USS Stethem (DDG-63).

The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday approved a resolution calling on Yemen’s Houthi rebel group to “cease its brazen” attacks in the Red Sea, as the United States and Britain hinted at military strikes.

The warnings come as the Iran-backed militants continue a weeks-long campaign to launch drones and missiles at vessels in the commercially vital shipping lane, which they say are revenge against Israel for its military campaign in Gaza.

The UN Security Council vote was 11 in favor, 0 against, and four abstentions, including Russia and China.

Ike 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.

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 multinational push to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden under the structure of the existing Combined Task Force 153.

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) is at McMurdo Station in Antarctica supporting Operation Deep Freeze.

In the Eastern Pacific

The amphibious warship USS Boxer (LHD-4) was spotted heading outbound from San Diego, Calif., on Jan 3, according to ship spotters.

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.