The U.S. Deploys the "Tripoli" Strike Group to the Middle East Front

According to a report by Reference News on March 24, the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, deployed at the U.S. Navy base in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, is expected to enter the operational waters near Iran in the coming days as the flagship of an expeditionary strike group. The arrival of the USS Tripoli will make the deployment of ground forces possible and may significantly alter the battlefield situation.

The Hindustan Times reported on the 20th that the USS Tripoli is sailing in the Indian Ocean south of Sri Lanka. After leaving the Strait of Malacca on the 18th, the ship turned off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal. This move may be intended to conceal its exact location as it approaches the combat area.

According to the U.S. Naval Institute, the USS Tripoli is expected to join the carrier strike group centered around the USS Abraham Lincoln this weekend.

The USS Tripoli is a large vessel measuring 257 meters in length and was commissioned in 2020. It is a "mini aircraft carrier" with a full-length flight deck capable of launching and recovering aircraft. On the 17th, when the ship was spotted in the Singapore Strait, its deck was densely packed with aircraft, including F-35 fighters and MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

Amphibious assault ships typically form expeditionary strike groups alongside dock landing ships, surface vessels, and submarines. Although smaller than carrier strike groups, they are highly mobile and capable of long-range power projection.

The most notable feature of this expeditionary strike group is its amphibious landing capability. The U.S. Naval Institute states that the USS Tripoli is currently escorted by the dock landing ship USS New Orleans. The USS New Orleans has a well deck that can be filled with seawater, allowing it to accommodate amphibious landing craft and landing craft utility. It can transport troops and combat vehicles directly into enemy positions from the ship. Accompanying the USS Tripoli are 2,500 Marines.

Reports indicate that the Trump administration is considering sending ground forces to occupy Halke Island in the Persian Gulf, which is a hub for Iranian oil exports. The deployment of the expeditionary strike group is crucial for the success of this operation. The goal is to control the lifeline of the Iranian economy and force the Iranian leadership to surrender.

The U.S. Department of Defense stated in an interview with the Japan Economic News on the 20th: "Currently, we will not release information regarding troop composition and deployment."

The USS Tripoli is named after the First Barbary War, which was the first foreign war the United States engaged in after gaining independence. The U.S. Navy often names large vessels after past battles, such as the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship named after the Battle of Iwo Jima. (Translated by Liu Lin)