For The First Time Since The Second World War There Are No U.S. Aircraft Carriers At Sea

Sailors view the San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson from the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, April 13, 2015. US Navy

Zero Hedge: For The First Time Since World War II, No US Carriers Are Deployed Anywhere In The World

Last weekend, when commenting on China's public demonstration of its one and only aircraft carrier, which China then proceeded to sail in close proximity to Taiwan to make a clear diplomatic "statement", we noted something tangentially troubling: " a quick look at the latest positioning of US aircraft carriers, amphibious ready groups, and other navies around the globe shows a gaping hole in the region of the East or South China Sea, and even in proximity to Japan, a place where the US navy traditionally has maintained at least one carrier group. In fact, according to Stratfor, the only active carrier group is USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CSG, conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe."

As it turned out, the Eisenhower carrier group was on its way back to dock in Norfolk, VA, which means that for the next several weeks, not only will there be no U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in the Middle East or the South China Sea, but as Fox News reports, "there will be no American aircraft carriers deployed at sea anywhere else in the world, despite a host of worldwide threats facing the United States."

The absence of a deployed U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, long seen as a symbol of American power projection, is noteworthy. According to Fox, it is believed to be the first time since World War II that at least one U.S. aircraft carrier has not been deployed.

Read more ....

Update #1: No US carrier at sea leaves gap in Middle East (FOX News)
Update #2: First time since 1945: No American aircraft carriers at sea (Jerusalem Online)

WNU Editor: This has happened because the USS Dwight Eisenhower just got into port .... Thousands of Eisenhower strike group sailors return home, just in time for New Year's (Virginia Pilot), and The Eisenhower’s replacement carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, is experiencing maintenance delays and will not be able to replace the Ike well into 2017 .... Maintenance Delays Lead to No US Aircraft Carrier in Middle East (Newsmax). This absence of US aircraft carriers on the high seas will only last a week .... the USS Carl Vinson deploys within a week .... USS Carl Vinson Strike Group Prepares For Deployment (KPBS).

Update #3: To know where America's aircraft carriers are presently deployed (or at port), go here.