US Surges Carrier Strike Group and Marine Amphibious Force into Middle East During Iran Campaign

MIDDLE EAST – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that USS Tripoli (LHA-7) and approximately 3,500 sailors and Marines arrived in the CENTCOM area of responsibility on March 27. The amphibious assault ship brings F-35B strike fighters, tiltrotor aircraft, and ground combat Marines into the theater.

The arrival coincided with the departure of three guided-missile destroyers from the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 from East Coast ports, positioning a second carrier strike group to enter the theater within days.

CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper reported on March 25 that coalition forces had struck more than 10,000 Iranian targets and damaged or destroyed over two-thirds of Iran’s missile, drone, and naval production facilities since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28.

Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group Arrives in CENTCOM

CENTCOM confirmed the arrival through an official post on March 28, stating that “U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA-7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 27.” The command described the force as carrying “transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets.”

The Tripoli ARG departed its homeport of Sasebo, Japan, around March 13 after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth approved a CENTCOM request for additional forces. The embarked 31st MEU is the only Marine expeditionary unit permanently forward-deployed in the Indo-Pacific.

Bush Carrier Strike Group Escorts Deploy

USS Ross (DDG-71) departed Naval Station Norfolk on March 25 as part of CSG-10, the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) confirmed. USS Mason (DDG-87) departed Naval Station Mayport on March 24, and USS Gonzalez (DDG-66) departed Norfolk around March 16.

The Bush completed its Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) certification on March 5. The carrier departed Naval Station Norfolk and is en route to the CENTCOM area, according to defense reporting, though the Navy has not issued a formal departure press release.

Ford Completes Emergency Repairs

USS Gerald R. Ford arrived at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, on March 23 for repairs after a fire in the carrier’s laundry facilities on March 12 while operating in the Red Sea, according to defense reporting. The Ford departed Souda Bay on March 26 and arrived in Split, Croatia, on March 28. The Navy stated the Ford “remains fully mission capable.”

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) has operated as the sole carrier in the CENTCOM area since the Ford diverted for repairs. A second amphibious ready group led by USS Boxer (LHD-4) with approximately 2,500 Marines departed San Diego three weeks ahead of schedule on March 20, according to defense reporting.

Prince Sultan Air Base Struck for Third Time

Iranian forces struck Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 27, wounding at least 10 to 12 service members. An E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft sustained damage that defense analysts described as likely irreparable. Multiple KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft were also damaged.

Across the campaign, approximately 20 aircraft have sustained damage. The U.S. Air Force operates a shrinking fleet of E-3s with no replacement yet in service.

Campaign at One Month

Admiral Cooper stated that Iranian missile and drone launches were “down by more than 90 percent since the start of the conflict on Feb. 28.” A Department of Defense fact sheet documented 13 U.S. service members killed in action and approximately 290 wounded. The Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed, with approximately 12 mines deployed and commercial shipping halted.

What to Monitor

• Bush carrier strike group transit progress and estimated arrival in the CENTCOM area
• Ford’s next port call or movement after Split, indicating whether it returns to CENTCOM or continues rotation
• Boxer ARG transit progress through the Pacific and estimated arrival in the CENTCOM area
• Iranian missile and drone launch rates following the March 24 spike of 40 ballistic missiles
• Additional Prince Sultan Air Base attacks and E-3 AWACS fleet operational status
• Any INDOPACOM force posture adjustments to compensate for the 31st MEU absence
• British-led 22-nation mine clearance coalition deployment decision and operational timeline for Hormuz

Assessment: The simultaneous deployment of two amphibious ready groups, a second carrier strike group, and a 22-nation mine clearance coalition represents the largest force concentration in the CENTCOM area since Epic Fury began.

The Bush strike group will enter a theater where Iranian forces have demonstrated the ability to concentrate 40 ballistic missiles in a single salvo and have struck Prince Sultan Air Base three times, destroying an E-3 AWACS aircraft the Air Force cannot replace. Whether CENTCOM achieves a three-carrier posture depends on the Ford’s next movement after Split, Croatia.

Official Statements

• CENTCOM, March 28: “U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA-7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 27.”
• Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM Commander, March 25: “We have damaged or destroyed over two-thirds of Iran’s missile, drone, and naval production facilities.”
• U.S. Navy, on Ford operational status: “Remains fully mission capable.”