The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) operate in the Arabian Sea conducting maritime security operations in this U.S. Navy photo taken April 21, 2015
(Reuters)
The U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet announced Tuesday that a second aircraft carrier strike group entered the western Pacific amid the increasing threat of North Korea.
USS Theodore Roosevelt – the “Big Stick” – left its San Diego homeport earlier this month on a scheduled deployment to the West Pacific and Persian Gulf. It will now join the USS Ronald Reagan strike group off the Korean Peninsula.
The carrier is expected to make its way to the Persian Gulf to relieve the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
“Entering 7th Fleet is an exciting opportunity to integrate with other U.S. Navy units in the AOO, as well as operate with our partners and allies in the region,” said Rear Adm. Steve Koehler in a statement. “We look forward to continued partnerships that lead to mutual security and common views about operating at sea.”
It is rare to have two U.S. Navy aircrafts stationed in the region.
In this April 13, 2015 photo released by U.S. Navy Media Content Services, helicopters fly from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt during a vertical replenishment with the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the Gulf of Oman.
((Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Scott Fenaroli/ U.S. Navy Media Content Services))
The last time it happened was back in June when the Carl Vinson and Reagan strike groups were for a few days in the Peninsula for training purposes – but it marked the first time since the 1990s two U.S. carriers were near Korea.
“USS Theodore Roosevelt is prepared to carry out the full spectrum of possible missions, from humanitarian relief to combat operations,” Capt. Carlos Sardiello, Theodore Roosevelt’s commanding officer, said in a statement. “When a carrier leaves on deployment, we have to be ready for anything.”
Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
This undated file photo distributed by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
(Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
