The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced late Thursday evening that the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Carl Vinson has arrived in the Middle East. Along with sending B-2s to the island of Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean, this move is clearly more force posturing in the region.

The ship will join USS Harry S. Truman, which has been deployed to the region since November.

According to a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, USS Carl Vinson’s air wing consists of Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighters.

The Two Carriers’ Movement Sends a Message to the Houthis and Iran

This is the second time in the last six months that the U.S. Navy has deployed two supercarriers to the Middle East. In addition to the two supercarriers, the U.S. Air Force has deployed around a third of its Northrop B-2 Spirit fleet to a military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

President Donald Trump has threatened to carry out large-scale bombings on Iran’s nuclear program if Tehran refuses to reach a deal on the future of that effort.

“We’re dealing with them directly, and maybe a deal is going to be made… doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious… If the talks aren’t successful, I think it’s going to be a terrible day for Iran,” Trump said earlier this week, per Newsweek.

The buildup of forces has been to deter and counter the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen as the group continues to target commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

“We’re not gonna relent until the Houthis declare they will stop shooting at our ships. And we’ve been very clear that Iran as well should not continue to provide support for the Houthis,” warned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

U.S. officials have confirmed that strikes were carried out on more than 100 targets, including command-and-control facilities, weapon manufacturing, and arms storage depots, since March 15. According to some estimates, the U.S. has spent around $1 billion deploying the assets, firing the ordnance, and engaging the Houthis.

The U.S. Navy Is Spreading Carrier Presence Thin Again

It is unclear how long the U.S. Navy will have two carriers operating in the region. Still, as the USS Harry S. Truman departed from Norfolk, Virginia, last September, its deployment could likely end. This is a reminder that the Pentagon has continued to rotate its limited number of carriers and escort vessels to the region.

Though last year’s dual carrier deployments to the Middle East meant a significantly reduced presence in the Indo-Pacific, it is a slightly different picture now.

USS Nimitz and USS Abraham Lincoln operate in the Pacific, while USS George Washington is forward deployed at Yokosuka, Japan.

While the service officially operates eleven nuclear-powered flattops, the USS John C. Stennis is undergoing its major refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH), which will be completed by next year. 

In addition, the USS Gerald R. Ford recently completed its maintenance cycle and has been involved in a Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), the critical pre-deployment training exercise for carrier strike groups (CSG). USS Ronald Reagan and USS Theodore Roosevelt are undergoing maintenance in Bremerton, Washington, and San Diego, California.

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is at Norfolk Naval Shipyard undergoing a scheduled Planned Incremental Availability. USS George H.W. Bush is preparing for its next deployment off the United States East Coast.

In total, just around half the fleet is deployed, with the remaining undergoing maintenance following or before deployment.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

Image: Wikimedia Commons/ Paul Farley.

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