The United States has sharply expanded its air, naval, and air-defense posture across the Middle East in recent days, deploying large numbers of personnel, aircraft, and missile-defense assets to the region amid rising tensions.
U.S. Air Force Movements
-
Approximately 110 C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlift flights, five C-5M Super Galaxy heavy-lift missions, and numerous C-130J/H sorties have delivered U.S. troops and equipment into theater.
-
Up to 20 aerial refueling aircraft—a mix of KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46 Pegasus—are now operating from or near the region, primarily staged out of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, and Diego Garcia.
-
Four HC-130J Combat King II aircraft from U.S. Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) units have deployed to Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base, Jordan, and Diego Garcia.
-
Three E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft are now forward deployed: two at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, and one that arrived today at Chania, Greece.
-
One RC-135 Rivet Joint signals-intelligence aircraft has deployed to Al Udeid, though U.S. officials say it has not yet begun Iran-focused collection.
-
One WC-135R Constant Phoenix, the Air Force’s nuclear-detection aircraft—often referred to as the “nuke sniffer”—has deployed to RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, to monitor for radioactive particles and atmospheric debris.
-
Six Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighters are are currently staged at Naval Station Rota, Spain.
-
Four Navy EA-18G Growler electronic-attack aircraft are already operating from Muwaffaq al-Salti AB, with two additional Growlers positioned at Morón Air Base, Spain, expected to follow.
-
Other combat aircraft already in theater include more than 35 F-15E Strike Eagles and a contingent of A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, primarily operating out of Jordan.
Air and Missile Defense Deployments
-
More than 40 of the roughly 110 strategic airlift flights tracked to date are assessed to be transporting U.S. air and missile defense systems.
-
At least six C-17 flights originated from Kadena Air Base, Japan, indicating the movement of THAAD and Patriot (MIM-104) missile defense systems from the Indo-Pacific into the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
-
Air-defense assets are believed to be reinforcing major U.S. installations, including Al Udeid (Qatar), Prince Sultan (Saudi Arabia), Ali Al Salem (Kuwait), Isa Air Base (Bahrain), and Muwaffaq al-Salti (Jordan).
U.S. Navy Posture
-
The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, including the carrier and three Arleigh Burke–class destroyers, remains on station in the Arabian Sea off Oman.
-
Two additional Arleigh Burke–class destroyers are operating in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
-
Another Arleigh Burke–class destroyer is operating in either the Red Sea or Gulf of Aqaba, while a separate destroyer is positioned in the Mediterranean Sea to support Israel and provide regional air and missile defense.
-
The USS Georgia, an Ohio-class guided-missile submarine capable of carrying more than 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles, is believed to be operating somewhere in the region, possibly in the Mediterranean. Another fast-attack submarine is usually assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group.
More updates as movements continue.
