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. 29, 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
| Total Battle Force | Deployed | Underway |
| 292 (USS 232, USNS 60) |
106 (USS 74, USNS 32) |
73 (48 Deployed, 25 Local) |
In Japan
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is in port Yokosuka. The carrier is set to depart for the East Coast later this year. USS George Washington (CVN-73) will replace Reagan in Japan.
In the Taiwan Strait
USS John Finn (DDG-113) performed the first Taiwan Strait transit of the 2024 calendar year on Wednesday, reported USNI News.
“The ship transited through a corridor in the Strait that is beyond the territorial sea of any coastal State,” U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement. “John Finn’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle. No member of the international community should be intimidated or coerced into giving up their rights and freedoms.”
China’s Eastern Theater Command quickly condemned the transit.
“The troops of the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command tracked and monitored the US warship’s transit in the whole course and handled it according to law and regulations,” said spokesperson Snr. Col Shi Yi.
“The troops in the theater are on high alert at all times and resolutely defend national sovereignty.”
In the Philippine Sea
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and USS America (LHA-6) are all underway in the Philippine Sea.
Last week Vinson was operating in the South China Sea. The carrier 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.
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is operating in the Western Pacific after deploying from San Diego, Calif., on Jan. 12.
Carrier Strike Group 9
Carrier
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), homeported at San Diego, Calif.
Carrier Air Wing 11
- The “Fist of the Fleet” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
- The “Black Knights” of VFA 154 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Lemoore.
- The “Blue Blasters” of VFA 34 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana Virginia Beach, Va.
- The “Flying Checkmates” of VFA 211 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana Virginia Beach
- The “Rooks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 – EA-18G – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
- The “Liberty Bells” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 115 – E-2D – from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif.
- The “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Squadron (VRC) 40 – C-2A – from Naval Station, Norfolk, Va.
- The “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 – MH-60R – from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
- The “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 – MH-60S – from Naval Air Station North Island.
Cruiser
USS Lake Erie (CG-70), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.
Destroyer Squadron 23
Destroyer Squadron 23 is based in San Diego and is embarked on Theodore Roosevelt.
- USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), homeported at Naval Station Everett, Wash.
- USS Halsey (DDG-97), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.
- USS Daniel Inouye (DDG-118), homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
USS America (LHA-6), based in Sasebo, Japan, had been in port in Okinawa, Japan and is underway in the Philippine Sea.
In the South Pacific
USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) is at McMurdo Station in Antarctica supporting Operation Deep Freeze.
In the Pacific
Hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) continues its return to homeport upon conclusion of Pacific Partnership 24-1.
In Souda Bay, Greece
The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is in port at Naval Station Souda Bay in the Eastern Mediterranean after completing exercise “Odyssey Encore” off the coast Volos, Greece, on Jan. 17.
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.
Among many missions Marines are trained in is evacuating civilians from conflict zones. USNI News visited the unit in April during a noncombatant evacuation drill in North Carolina.
In the Gulf of Aden
This intolerable and illegal attack on maritime shipping is the latest on innocent people and global trade.
It is our duty to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and we remain as committed to that cause as ever. pic.twitter.com/lrbpeGh5N3
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 27, 2024
USS Carney (DDG-64), French Navy Frigate FS Alsace (D656) and Indian Navy Frigate INS Visakhapatnam (DD66) helped extinguish a fire on M/V Marlin Luanda, a cargo ship sailing under a Marshalls Island flag, that was attacked by the Houthis. Carney also shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by the Houthis Friday afternoon local time, U.S. Central Command announced Friday.
Following the Friday attacks, the U.S. attacked a launch site that had a missile ready to hit targets in the Red Sea. The strike on the missile site
“The Houthis and the U.S. also traded strikes on Wednesday, with the U.S. taking out two anti-ship missiles early Wednesday morning local time, U.S. Central Command announced. About 12 hours later, the Houthis returned strikes, firing three anti-ship ballistic missiles at M/V Maersk Detroit, which is owned by a U.S. company and sailing under a U.S. flag in the Gulf of Aden, according to a Wednesday Central Command release. USS Gravely (DDG-107) shot down two of the missiles, while another landed in the water. No damage or injuries were reported,” reported USNI News.
In the Red Sea
The U.S. and the U.K. made a second round of strikes on Houthi missile and attack drone infrastructure last week as part of U.S. Central Command’s Operation Poseidon Archer.
The strikes included assistance from Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and Bahrain, the U.S. and the United Kingdom hit eight targets in, “proportionate and necessary strikes,” according to a joint statement.
The coordinated attacks came from U.K. land-based fighters, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets flying from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles from guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG-58), guided-missile destroyers USS Mason (DDG-87), USS Gravely (DDG-107) and at least one unspecified U.S. submarine.
As of Monday, the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was operating off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
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 U.N. Security Council on Jan. 10 approved a resolution calling on Yemen’s Houthi rebel group to “cease its brazen” attacks in the Red Sea.
Announced on Dec. 18, Operation Prosperity Guardian is a multinational push to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the 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 Western Atlantic
Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) was spotted heading inbound to Norfolk, Va., on Jan. 23 following sea trials after a 13-month maintenance and repair period. Carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) was spotted heading inbound to Norfolk on Jan 27.
In the Eastern Pacific
Aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) was spotted heading outbound from San Diego, Calif., on Jan 18, according to ship spotters.
USS Boxer (LHD-4) is in port in San Diego, Calif., as of Jan. 18, according to ship spotters. Boxer, USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) and USS Sommerset (LPD-25) are set to deploy later this spring with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Chris Mahoney told USNI News last week. The Boxer ARG will be the first to deploy with the Amphibious Combat Vehicle.
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.
