Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier battle group in action in the Middle East

The aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt is currently deployed in the Middle East, replacing the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower after Ike completed a long deployment with several extensions.

The Theodore Roosevelt and its carrier battle group arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of ​​operations on Friday “to deter aggression, promote regional stability, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region,” according to U.S. Central Command.

The Pentagon announced in June that the San Diego-based Roosevelt would set sail in June to replace the Eisenhower. Although the East Coast-based aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman was scheduled to replace the Ike, it is still being prepared for operational certification.

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Originally deployed in October, Ike was the first aircraft carrier to enter these waters since the end of the war in Afghanistan in 2021. There, the carrier battle group fired a salvo of Iranian-backed Houthi drones and missiles almost daily.

The crew received the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) for their actions in the Middle East. This award is given to sailors and Marines who actively participated in surface or surface combat. Since the Gulf War in 1991, it has rarely been awarded to sailors.