USS George Washington is the latest aircraft carrier to enter the Middle East amid the Iran war.
US Navy photo
A new US Navy carrier strike group has arrived in the Middle East, the military confirmed on Thursday. The group's arrival comes amid growing concerns about another aircraft carrier that has been on extended deployment in the region.US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said that the George Washington Carrier Strike Group is now operating in the region as part of a scheduled deployment, adding that it arrived on Wednesday.The strike group is led by the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington, the Navy's only carrier that is permanently forward-deployed to Japan.CENTCOM did not identify the warships traveling with the carrier, though the Navy disclosed earlier this month that the George Washington made a port visit in Vietnam with Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup.The George Washington's departure from Japan has left the Navy without an aircraft carrier in the Western Pacific, despite US efforts to counter China's military presence in the region.The George Washington is expected to replace the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for more than 270 days on an extended deployment supporting combat operations against Iran.
