The Wasp Amphibious Ready Group ended a seven-month deployment to the Baltic and Mediterranean seas on Friday, as the flat top pulled into Naval Station Norfolk.
“This deployment demonstrated the versatility and strength of amphibious forces. Whether enhancing NATO interoperability or on station as the crises response force, the Sailors and Marines of the ARG-MEU team consistently executed with precision and remained ready,” Capt. Nakia Cooper, the commodore of Amphibious Squadron 4, said in a news release.
USS Wasp (LHD 1), USS New York (LPD 21) and USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) and embarked elements of the special operations-capable 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed from Norfolk in June for Europe. The 4,500 sailors and Marines participated in key naval and maritime drills on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s northern and southern flanks in exercises such as Baltic Operations 2024 and Neptune Strike 24.2 in the Western Mediterranean.
Among the over dozen port visits and training activities with allies and partners across the region, the Wasp ARG also participated in the 80th anniversary ceremony for the Normandy landings in France.
“We are a tangible reminder of America’s commitment to our Allies and partners and a powerful deterrent to any potential adversary,” said Cooper.
The ARG arrived in the Mediterranean at the end of June, ending a nearly four-month gap in amphib presence in the region after the Bataan ARG completed an eight-month tour in the Mediterranean and an emergency deployment to the Red Sea.
In May, a collision of two Navy air-cushioned landing craft off Florida during the Wasp ARG’s pre-deployment training injured 30 sailors and Marines.
While Wasp and New York pulled into Norfolk today, Oak Hill is expected to dock at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. The vessels come home amid concerning reports of the Navy’s 32-ship amphibious fleet, with the Government Accountability Office claiming that 16 of the service’s amphibs are in “poor material condition.”
