Does the increase in US firepower in the Middle East indicate another Iran strike?
USS Abraham Lincoln (left) and USS Spruance transit the San Bernardino Strait. (Photo: US Navy)
The Trump administration recently moved the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group from the South China Sea to the Persian Gulf in a clear sign that Iran could soon be the target of another US offensive as tensions with Tehran rise.
Consisting of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) with embarked Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW 9) and the Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Frank E Petersen Jr (DDG-121), USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) and USS Spruance (DDG-111), the strike group considerably increases US capabilities in the Middle East.
The additional assets provide US President Donald Trump
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
How China’s naval advancements are pushing the US Navy to innovate
The US Navy is set to invest $30 billion in artificial intelligence, cyber, space and autonomy research and development efforts in FY2026 as the force rethinks how it fights in light of China’s naval rise.
-
US Coast Guard to invest nearly $11 billion in new capabilities by October
The US Coast Guard is expected to acquire new aircraft, helicopters, vessels and ISR sensors this fiscal year using resources from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
-
UK and France signal shift to autonomous helicopters to boost naval power
Recent developments in France and the UK highlight how autonomous helicopters are becoming central to naval force design as navies seek to integrate crewed and uncrewed systems at sea.
-
US Coast Guard’s small response boat demonstrators to be delivered in three months
The platforms will be tested in multiple missions to define performance requirements for a coming acquisition programme.