By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
The US Navy’s flagship USS Ford aircraft carrier is now operating in the Mediterranean Sea within reach of the Black Sea, a development which could raise strategic questions regarding Ukraine.
The Pentagon says the US has no assets in the Black Sea but did make a clear point about commerce in the region and the importance of Ukraine’s grain exports. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said DoD is “urging” Russia to return to the grain deal and stop “starving” other countries.
“We have certainly urged Russia, both, I mean, pretty publicly but also through different agencies, to return to the grain deal. The — the risk that Russia is taking is — is starving other countries out of — of needed grain that — that they depend on Ukraine for. So, we’ve urged Russia to return to the grain deal, to honor its commitment to ensure safe passage of grain out of Ukraine and into the countries that need it the most. But we don’t have any U.S. assets within the Black Sea,” Singh told reporters, according to a Pentagon transcript.
Certainly the US Navy and the Pentagon have no intention of confronting the Russian surface Navy or Russian submarines, as the US continues to take measured and concentrated actions to prevent a major US,NATO vs Russia war. It does however seem significant, if only in the sense of strategic deterrence, that the USS Ford is now conducting joint exercises with Greece within 500-to-600 miles of the center of the Black Sea. This introduces the possibility that, if needed in an emergency, the USS Ford could launch fighter jets capable of reaching airspace over the Black Sea. Particularly if carrier-launched fighters are refueled in flight by a tanker, F-18s, F-35Cs and other aircraft could reach coastal areas near Ukraine and Russia.
This may be of little significance, however a quick look at the map shows waters off of Greece are roughly 668 miles from the center of the Black Sea. The US Navy published a photo of the USS Ford steaming through the Mediterranean with a Greek Navy Frigate and Ticonderoga-class US Navy Cruiser.
The ability to project global power with carriers is likely not lost on great power rivals of the US, particularly when it comes to the operational deployment of the Ford-class carriers. The USS Ford serves as a symbol of American power, the ability to protect vital strategic waterways and operate as a reminder of the US Navy’s ability to respond in the event of crisis. While the US Navy is likely not expecting Naval warfare with Russia, the service continues to operate with a huge priority placed upon “forward presence.”
More specifically, having the USS Ford within reach of the Black Sea, especially if NATO-ally Turkey is used to refuel aircraft, does introduce some additional strategic considerations regarding Ukraine. While the US Navy clearly does not intend to “intervene,” the presence of the USS Ford near Greece in the Mediterranean does place US power in reach of defending Ukraine’s Southern Coastline along the Black Sea. It also places US assets within reach of supporting any Ukrainian assault on Crimea. However unlikely this may be, deterrence missions and demonstrations of power carry substantial implications as, among other things, the presence of the USS Ford may cause Russia to pause or hesitate should Putin be contemplating a tactical nuclear attack or more aggressive approach to Southern Ukraine from the ocean.
Osborn is President of Warrior Maven -the Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
