U.S. ramps up forces near Iran

A surge in the U.S. military presence in the region, including the deployment of a second aircraft carrier, is the clearest sign yet that President Trump may be preparing to strike Iran

Arleigh Burke-class
Equipped with Aegis air-defence systems and Tomahawk cruise missiles

AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS
USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford nuclear-powered aircraft carriers with six accompanying Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (three each)

AIR FORCES

Abraham Lincoln and Gerald R. Ford carry dozens of planes and helicopters, including F-35 fighter jets, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare planes

Additional planes include F-15 fighter jets, refuelling tankers and surveillance aircraft, such as RC-135 Rivet Joint, E-11A BACN and E-3G Sentry

THAAD batteries and Patriot air-defence systems positioned at bases in region to guard against any Iranian retaliation

SUBMARINES
At least one Virginia-class SSN and one Ohio-class SSGN, capable of launching Tomahawks at land targets, expected to be present in area of operations

U.S. base hosting aircraft
Other U.S. base / outpost
Destroyers (13)
Aircraft carriers (2)

F-15E Strike Eagle
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan: At least 24 F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, four EA-18G Growlers and five MQ-9 Reaper drones

Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE: Reconnaissance aircraft and UAVs

AkrotiriIncirlik

USS Abraham Lincoln
Positioned in Arabian Sea
Crew: ~5,700
Aircraft: 75+
Length: 333 metres
Displacement: 88,000 tonnes

USS Gerald R. Ford: World’s largest warship located in Mediterranean Sea
Length: 337m
Displacement: 101,600 tonnes
Aircraft: 75+
Crew: 4,660

Duqm: Logistics hub for aircraft carrier

Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar: Largest U.S. base in Middle East. Squadron of RAF Typhoons deployed by Britain

Khalifa Bin Salman Port,

Bahrain: Three Littoral combat ships

IRAN
Tehran
Mashhad
Tabriz
JORDAN
KUWAIT
UAE
QATAR
BAHRAIN
OMAN
TÜRKIYE
SAUDI ARABIA
EGYPT
Persian Gulf
Caspian Sea
Arabian Sea
Gulf of Oman
Strait of Hormuz
Gulf of Aden
Red Sea
Mediterranean Sea
IRAQ
SYRIA
LEBANON
ISRAEL
CYPRUS
YEMEN
DJIBOUTI
ETHIOPIA
SOMALIA
ERITREA
125 miles
200km

Sources: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Council on Foreign Relations, The Maritime Executive
Pictures: Newscom, Getty Images
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