The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Carrier Strike Group of the United States Navy has finally returned to its homeport in San Diego, California, after completing 278 days of deployment in the Pacific and the Middle East. This extended operation makes it the second carrier with the most days in service over the last five years.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt departed in mid-January from Naval Air Station North Island, soon joining the 7th Pacific Fleet. During its deployment, the ship participated in exercises in the Philippine Sea alongside the USS Carl Vinson and several vessels from Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force. Months later, it joined the USS Ronald Reagan in the joint Pacific Valiant Shield exercise, strengthening naval cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Despite its responsibilities in the Indo-Pacific, the USS Theodore Roosevelt was redeployed to the Middle East by order of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in response to rising tensions in the region following Hamas’ attacks on October 7. Its presence was part of a broader effort to deter attacks on maritime commerce and prevent escalation amid the crisis in Israel, where the USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group was also operating to maintain maritime security.
Pentagon Press Secretary, Major General Pat Ryder, highlighted in a press conference that the U.S. Navy would continue its presence in the Middle East with the USS Abraham Lincoln and an Expeditionary Marine Unit, as well as increased air resources, including F-22 Raptor stealth fighters. Ryder emphasized the U.S.’s commitment to working with regional partners to reduce tensions and pursue a ceasefire in the region.
With the withdrawal of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, its place in the Middle East was taken by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group, allowing the U.S. Navy to restore operational capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. This regional shift left a significant gap in the Pacific, where other carriers, such as the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz, were undergoing maintenance or resupply, posing substantial challenges to the U.S. Navy’s global power projection.
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