U.S. to keep just 2 carrier groups in Gulf - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

U.S. to keep just 2 carrier groups in Gulf

Despite a third aircraft carrier strike group steaming toward the Persian Gulf region, the Navy has no current plans to maintain three flattops in the volatile area, a Pentagon official said Tuesday.

There are two carriers now in the U.S. Central Command area of operations: the John C. Stennis strike group in the Persian Gulf, and the Nimitz and its escorts in the North Arabian Sea, according to the Navy. The amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard and its expeditionary strike group is also in the region.

The carrier Enterprise and its strike group left Naval Station Norfolk, Va., for the region on Saturday. But according to the Pentagon official, who requested anonymity when discussing ongoing operations, the Stennis is slated to return to its homeport in Bremerton, Wash., in late August. So even though it’s possible that the Enterprise could arrive before the Stennis leaves — making for a total of three carrier groups and a big-deck amphib in the area — that shouldn’t last long.

The U.S. has no plans to maintain three carriers in the Persian Gulf, the official said.

The Nimitz deployed to the region in April and could be replaced by the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, which is slated to deploy this fall. The Defense Department official would not say where or when the Nimitz would go, but said the Navy likes to maintain “flexibility” with its carrier deployments. Wartime carrier deployments have typically been running from six to eight months.

The decision to place a second carrier in the CentCom region was made in January.