Marine Lt. Gen. John A. Toolan, commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, watches an AV-8B Harrier take off from the USS Essex. The amphibious assault ship is to arrive in the Middle East in weeks, and will be there through the end of the year. (Photo: Lance Cpl. Wesley Timm/Navy)
Navy Times: Navy to pull carrier from Central Command this fall
The Navy plans to pull its carrier presence out of the Middle East temporarily this fall, which will sideline the Navy's premier airstrike platform for the first time since the outbreak of Operation Inherent Resolve.
The break in presence will likely last from one to two months after the carrier Theodore Roosevelt departs U.S. Central Command this fall. Theodore Roosevelt will be replaced by Truman and its escorts in 5th Fleet early this winter, according to Navy officials who spoke on background to discuss future operations.
The break in carrier presence in the middle of a fight with the Islamic State group is a setback, but Navy officials say it's a consequence of years of strain placed on the fleet by increasing demands and decreasing budgets.
Update: The Navy's premier airstrike platform could be sidelined from the Middle East for a month or two -- IBTimes
WNU Editor: America's enemies in the region are taking note.
1 comment:
Deployments are planned 2 or 3 years in advance (if not longer).
No carrier in the Middle East is not a surprise to the Pentagon. It might be to the White House
Sequestration? Budget cuts?
It is what I would put out if the Israelis took the opportunity to bomb Iranian nuke sites.
Of course if if letting the Israelis take out the Uranian nuke sites was not a passive aggressive way of taking care of a problem, Obama will never let the Middle East be sans carriers again.
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