The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego in recent days for an extended deployment expected to bring it to the Middle East, amid continued tensions and fighting with Iran, according to a report by the U.S. Naval Institute.
1+The carrier, serving as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 9, sailed on September 27 along with its accompanying force. According to the report, the group is expected to come under the responsibility of U.S. Central Command and will eventually replace the USS George Washington, which has been operating in the region since mid-August.
The deployment comes as the U.S. Navy continues to maintain a significant presence in the Middle East. When the Theodore Roosevelt departed, two carrier strike groups were operating in the region—the George Washington and the George H.W. Bush—alongside the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group.
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The Theodore Roosevelt is a nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. With its arrival in the Middle East, it will be the third American aircraft carrier deployed to the region recently, amid confrontation with Iran and ongoing tensions in shipping lanes.