US Navy Today Magazine

This impressive force has the ability to deploy warships to an area-of-concern within a matter of days and loiter off a coastline. Critically, the carriers can linger off a coast where hostilities are taking place without imposing on another country’s sovereignty. Then if required, the carrier’s air wing can be called into action, either to deliver a show of force or deliver lethal action. The United States positioned carriers in the Mediterranean and the Gulf in 2024 as conflict erupted in Gaza. And when Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked shipping in the Red Sea, fighter aircraft were able to engage them and inhibit further attacks.

The major contributor to NATO, the US Navy supports ongoing operations and regularly trains with Alliance forces. It recently assisted the Royal Navy in regenerating carrier-borne operations, training staff aboard US carriers and steering the introduction of the F-35B stealth fighter into service aboard the new British Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.