American Assault Carrier USS Boxer Deploys with Marines to Reinforce Carrier Strike Group Near Iran

The U.S. Navy’s Wasp Class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer has reportedly deployed to the Persian Gulf region to reinforce the Fifth Fleet. The 40,000 ton warship will be tasked with patrolling the Gulf, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean - all sea lanes potentially threatened should tensions between Tehran and Washington escalate further. The Boxer is one of seven Wasp Class amphibious assault ships in American service, and these vessels are capable of operating as aircraft carriers and deploying up to 20 fixed wing fighter jets each. The warship currently deploys specialised Harrier II vertical landing capable fighter jets - which are set to be replaced by F-35B stealth fighters with similar landing capabilities by the mid 2020s. While the aeronautical performance of the Harrier leaves something to be desired, with low speed and manoeuvrability and a relatively small payload, they are capable of deploying formidable munitions including the Sea Sparrow anti ship missile and the AIM-120C long range anti aircraft missile.

USS Boxer currently leads the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which alongside helicopters and amphibious armoured vehicles includes the amphibious transport dock USS John P. Murtha and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry. The group’s unit commander Marine Colonel Fridrik Fridriksson stated regarding the deployment of the carrier to the hotspot area: “Our training and preparation to enter the 5th Fleet area of operations has all been designed to ensure we can be ready where it matters, when it matters.” The Marine contingent will joint Carrier Strike Group Twelve led by the 100,000 ton Nimitz Class supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln - which deployed to the region in May. The rhetoric of Iranian military officers has increasingly highlighted their confidence in their ability to neutralise American carrier strike groups - deploying a wide variety of assets including air and ground launched ballistic and cruise missiles, drones, attack boats and midget submarines specifically for this purpose.