US Deploys Nuclear Submarine and Strike Group to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
The United States is deploying a nuclear submarine and speeding up the arrival of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East due to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.
On Sunday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin instructed the USS Georgia, an Ohio-class nuclear submarine equipped with non-nuclear Tomahawk cruise missiles, to head to the region.
This announcement is notable as the U.S. Navy generally doesn’t disclose the locations of its missile submarines.
In addition, Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, along with its F-35 and F-18 fighter jets, to proceed swiftly to the area.
Iran might be poised to retaliate against Israel following the deaths of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in Tehran and Beirut.
Lincoln Strike Group to Take Over from Roosevelt Ships
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Austin announced on August 2 that the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group would replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group in the region. He also dispatched additional F-22 fighter jets, known to be the Air Force’s most advanced aircraft, to the area, YSL News reported.
This update followed a conversation between Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, where Austin reaffirmed U.S. commitment to Israel, according to the Pentagon.
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Overview of USS Georgia
The USS Georgia is not the first U.S. nuclear submarine assigned to the region. The Defense Department had earlier deployed the USS Florida (SSGN-728), also an Ohio-class submarine, to the Middle East in November 2023.
The USS Florida launched an undisclosed number of Tomahawk missiles targeting Houthi installations in Yemen back in January. After a lengthy deployment, it returned to its base in Kings Bay, Georgia, in July following a 727-day mission.
Composition of USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group
The USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group consists of several critical assets, including the aircraft carrier itself, with support from fighter planes from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) Nine and three Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers:
- USS O’Kane (DDG 77)
- USS Spruance (DDG 111)
- USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121)
These destroyers are equipped with advanced Aegis weapon systems, which integrate radar, sensors, and missiles for effective defense against aerial and surface threats.
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