MANAMA, Bahrain – In a pre-announced deployment, over 3,000 U.S. Sailors and Marines from the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) have arrived in the Middle East on August 6th. The USS Bataan (LHD 50), an amphibious assault ship, and USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), a dock landing ship, entered the Red Sea after transiting through the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean Sea.
This deployment brings additional naval and aviation assets to the region, enhancing the maritime capabilities of U.S. 5th Fleet. The amphibious assault ship USS Bataan is equipped to carry various rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft, including MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and AV-8B Harrier attack jets. The dock landing ship USS Carter Hall supports operations for rotary-wing aircraft, tactical vehicles, and amphibious landing craft.
The Bataan ARG, which departed from Norfolk, Virginia on July 10th, included units such as Amphibious Squadron 8, Fleet Surgical Team 8, Tactical Air Control Squadron 21, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26, Assault Craft Unit 4, Beach Master Unit 2, and the 26th MEU.
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, possesses the capability to conduct amphibious missions, crisis response, and limited contingency operations. This includes facilitating the introduction of follow-on forces and designated special operations.
The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses a vast expanse of approximately 2.5 million square miles, covering the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and key maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and Strait of Bab al-Mandeb. This strategic deployment reinforces the United States’ commitment to maintaining security and stability in the region.
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