US Navy Brings Amphibious Assault Power to Eastern Mediterranean

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

The US Navy is moving amphibious assault maritime war power closer to the Israeli coast in what appears to be revved up efforts to strengthen deterrence efforts in the region and further prevent a wider war.

This is significant for many reasons and makes sense in light of the 10-nation Operation Prosperity Guardian now underway in the Red Sea. Certainly the presence of amphibious attack power reinforces deterrence efforts in the Red Sea as amphibs could transit back through the Suez canal into the Red Sea if necessary.

A published US-Navy photo shows the Wasp-class USS Bataan amphibious assault ship and a Harpers Ferry-class Dock Landing Ship USS Carter Hall moved into the Eastern Mediterranean Dec. 28, from the Red Sea. The warships were also supported by the USS Mesa Verde Amphibious Transport Dock as well.

“With the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), these ships will re-aggregate as the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) in the eastern Mediterranean,” a Navy description explains. 

This kind of maneuvering adds a new dimension to the deterrence equation as it introduces the possibility of launching an amphibious assault force anywhere along the coast or in the region …. where helicopters, Ospreys 5-th Generation vertical take-off and landing F-35Bs and amphibious attack craft can either attack inland or move ship-to-shore as needed. This places strike forces within range of many counter-terrorist targets within the region, should the US choose to respond more forcefully to continued Houthi or Iranian-proxy-group attacks in the region. As an amphibious assault ship, the USS Bataan can easily project inland power into Iraq and other areas throughout the Middle East where US and allied forces could be at risk of ongoing terrorist attacks. Amphibious assault forces and 5th-gen air power can offer Commanders attack options against targets throughout the region without having to risk “basing” high-value assets and Marines on the ground where they might be vulnerable to enemy missile attacks.

Perhaps of greatest significance, operating amphibious forces within range of the Red Sea merely multiplies potential attack options for US and allied forces supporting Operation Prosperity Guardian. For instance, Yemen is merely 2,249km from Jerusalem, so amphibious assets would be well within striking distance from many places throughout the Red Sea. The Osprey helicopter, for example, operates with a combat radius of 450km, the F-35B has a 1,000 mile range and amphibious combat vehicles can travel at least 10-12 miles from ship to shore in support of maritime combat operations.