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The Pentagon has dispatched two aircraft carriers, along with their supporting vessels, to the eastern Mediterranean in response to recent Hamas attacks on Israel. This deployment is intended as a deterrent to prevent the escalation of the conflict.
The Gerald R. Ford carrier, accompanied by its support fleet, arrived in the eastern Mediterranean early last week, bolstering the US military presence in the area. Simultaneously, the Pentagon has ordered the Dwight Eisenhower carrier strike group to set course for the eastern Mediterranean, a journey expected to take between one and one and a half weeks. It is seen in video footage leaving port on Saturday (14October2023).
The nuclear-powered carrier, commissioned in 1977, initially engaged in operations during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Famously known as the "Ike," it is home to 5,000 sailors and can accommodate up to nine squadrons of aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters, and reconnaissance aircraft capable of performing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
Similarly to the Ford carrier, the Ike carrier will be joined by other vessels, such as the guided-missile cruiser Philippine Sea, and guided-missile destroyers Gravely and Mason.
While these ships possess offensive capabilities, their primary focus is on self-defense and the protection of the carrier itself. They are not optimally equipped to serve as a missile defense system for Israel, which already has sophisticated anti-missile systems in place.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet attached to the "Blacklions" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 213 prepares to land on the world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) flight deck in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 13, 2023. VFA-213 is deployed aboard the Gerald R. Ford as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8. USS Gerald R. Ford is the Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, representing a generational leap in the U.S. Navy's capacity to project power on a global scale. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, at direction of the Secretary of Defense. The U.S. maintains forward-deployed, ready, and postured forces to deter aggression and support security and stability around the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins)