The United States is deploying the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and elements of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to the Middle East in what has been described as an accelerated deployment tied to ongoing operations, according to reports by Newsmax and others.
The ARG, centred on the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, departed San Diego in mid-March and includes USS Portland and USS Comstock. Around 4,000 personnel are embarked across the group, including roughly 2,500 Marines from the 11th MEU, forming a combined air-ground task force capable of expeditionary and amphibious operations.
The movement follows earlier reports that the USS Tripoli ARG, carrying elements of the 31st MEU, is also deploying toward the region, suggesting a broader concentration of U.S. amphibious forces under U.S. Central Command. The deployment is widely reported to support Operation Epic Fury, with discussions in Washington around potential actions targeting Iran’s Kharg Island, a key oil export hub, though no official confirmation of specific objectives has been issued.
USS Boxer, commissioned in 1995 and based in San Diego, is designed to support amphibious assaults using both aviation and landing craft. The ship displaces over 40,000 tonnes and can carry a Marine force of around 1,600 personnel, with additional surge capacity. Its well deck can deploy landing craft including LCACs and mechanised landing vehicles, while its flight deck supports a mix of aircraft such as F-35B Lightning II fighters, MV-22 Osprey tiltrotors, CH-53 heavy-lift helicopters and AH-1 attack helicopters.
The platform can be configured for multiple roles, ranging from amphibious assault to sea control operations. In a strike-focused configuration, it can operate up to 20 fixed-wing aircraft, effectively functioning as a light aircraft carrier, while in assault mode it prioritises tiltrotor and helicopter lift for troop insertion.
Internally, the ship can transport significant volumes of equipment, including armoured vehicles, artillery and logistics support assets, supported by internal cargo handling systems designed to rapidly move materiel between storage areas and landing craft. Medical facilities onboard include operating theatres and expandable ward capacity, enabling support for sustained operations.
Defensive systems include Rolling Airframe Missile and Sea Sparrow launchers, Phalanx close-in weapon systems and electronic warfare suites, alongside air and surface search radars. These systems are designed to provide layered protection against aerial and surface threats while enabling sustained operations in contested environments.
The accelerated deployment reportedly followed the curtailment of post-certification leave for embarked personnel, indicating a rapid response posture. Amphibious Ready Groups are typically used for crisis response, deterrence and rapid intervention, offering flexible options across a spectrum of operations.
I’m not sure really what the US will do with Two ARGs, essentially 2 brigades of amphibious troops.. it’s a lot but it’s not securing the Iranian strait coastline lot..
So it’s probably karge island.. take and hold as a negotiating tool..
The issue will be its 20 kms off the coast of Iran and 225 kms from the nearest US airbase.. if it burns it becomes a toxic hellscape..if Iran destroys the airfield it becomes hard to resupply a large force by rotor alone..
It will get very very interesting very soon if they use that options and the dial on US casualties will shift up.. if Iran goes scorched earth ( and it might) it would possibly put oil up to the 150 dollars a barrel mark so it would be one hell of a gamble…
I agree, two MEU’s are equivalent to a single infantry brigade combat team. We needed double that to hold a handful of towns in Helmand province.
Iran has 90 million people and it’s covered in mountains, its has hundreds of thousands of nut jobs armed to the teeth.
What can such a small handful of marines do in such a situation.
The US sent 20,000 into Mogadishu told hold one airport against armed militias.
Hopefully the toilets on the Tripoli and Boxer experience the same problems with four foot ropes getting flushed.
That’s an impressive deployment, two aircraft carriers, two LHD’s, a dozen high end destroyers and one minesweeper (LCS)
Team America right there, I wonder how they are going to get through the straits.
$40 billion worth or warships stopped by a few $500 mines.
🇺🇸🫡
Wow that Assault Ship has a more impressive array of equipment than a single one of our carriers currently does.
Do we still rely on American marine f 35s to fill out our decks when on deployment still?