Pentagon redeploys naval might: Eisenhower moves to Mediterranean
The Pentagon is withdrawing ships from the Red Sea, a critical area where they have countered Yemeni Houthi fighters' attacks and safeguarded civilian shipping lanes. The noteworthy movement includes deploying the atomic aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and a segment of its strike group to the Mediterranean Sea.
11:42 AM EDT, May 4, 2024
In recent times, the Red Sea has become a battleground where international maritime and air forces have fended off assaults targeting both commercial vessels and military ships. Despite the tangible proof of Western equipment's efficacy, controversies have arisen, particularly with the malfunctioning weaponry on the Danish frigate HDMS Iver Huitfeldt.
New aircraft carrier stationed in the Mediterranean Sea
By April's end, the Pentagon opted to reallocate some of its naval forces from the Red Sea's turbulent waters to the calmer eastern Mediterranean Sea. This strategic move saw USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), one of the two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the vicinity, along with the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107), navigate through the Suez Canal.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower: A venerable nuclear carrier
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is the second-oldest American nuclear aircraft carrier, immediately following the USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Launched in 1977, it measures 1,092 feet in length and 134 feet in width, with a displacement of 114,000 tons. This Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and its sister ships form an integral part of the U.S. naval might.
The ship is armed with Phalanx CIWS systems, RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles, and RIM-116 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) launchers for defense. As the Navy progresses towards modernization, plans indicate the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower will retire in 2029, making way for the next-generation Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier USS "Enterprise" (CVN-80).
