The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson arrives at a South Korean naval base during a visit to the port of Busan on March 2, 2025. (Credit: Archive photo Yonhap/AFP)
The USS Carl Vinson appears to have arrived Thursday off the southern coast of Oman, according to various accounts tracking maritime military movements on X. With the USS Harry S. Truman deployed since December 2024, this marks the second time in six months that two American aircraft carriers have been deployed simultaneously in the region, a rare show of force from the U.S.'s recent administrations.
The U.S. military is currently waging an intense bombing campaign against Yemen — 100 attacks against Houthi targets since mid-March — and announced on Wednesday that the Carl Vinson had arrived in the Middle East, but did not specify where it would take up its position.
However, the U.S. Central Command for the Middle East (CENTCOM) said in a statement that the ship would be joining the USS Harry S. Truman, which has been deployed in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have been attacking ships it says are affiliated with the U.S., UK or Israel since Israel's military onslaught on Gaza began, in solidarity with Palestinians in the besieged enclave, where more than 50,000 have been killed. The Houthi's attacks have halved traffic in the vital global commercial shipping passage. Strikes also killed two U.S. Navy offiers. Retaliatory strikes from the U.S. and U.K. have killed more than 100 in Yemen.
📍 USS Carl Vinson arrived off the Omani southern coast
— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) April 11, 2025
RUDY11 • CMV-22 Osprey (reg 169452), replacing the transport role of the C2 on other carriers, heading to Duqm pic.twitter.com/c2e6euu24k
The American aircraft carrier arrived on the eve of a meeting between Iran and the U.S. in Oman set for Saturday, where the two traditional rivals will discuss the nuclear issue. Tehran has said that while it is willing to meet American representatives, it rejects any direct dialogue under threat and pressure. Washington has threatened to bomb Iran if diplomacy fails.
Massive strike power
Before arriving in the Middle East, the USS Carl Vinson operated in the Indo-Pacific region. It left San Diego in November 2024, participating in exercises with Japanese and South Korean forces in the East China Sea. It stopped in Guam at the end of March 2025 for resupply and then reached the Middle East about 15 days later.
The Carl Vinson is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, approximately 333 meters long, consisting of a crew of over 5,000 sailors and aviators. It carries the U.S. Navy's Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2), including F-35C Lightning II stealth fighters, F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, and various helicopters. Its total capacity exceeds 75 aircraft.
In terms of armament, it carries Sea Sparrow missiles, Phalanx CIWS for close-in defense, and has significant strike capability via its aircraft.
Aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) with its air wing consisting of F-35C Lightning IIs works alongside the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. pic.twitter.com/c2p4yxmBpj
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 10, 2025
Insufficient naval presence?
The video published by CENTCOM Thursday shows aircraft taking off from the carrier decks and missiles being loaded. This massive deployment signals an offensive posture. It addresses criticisms of an insufficient naval presence against Iranian proxies but raises questions about how far U.S. naval resources can be stretched. A third aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, is also deployed, having been sent to the western Pacific in what is believed to be the ship's last deployment. The Nimitz is one of the largest warships in the world and is the U.S. Navy's oldest aircraft carrier. In total, the U.S. has 11 aircraft carriers.
Since CENTCOM has not yet officially announced Carl Vinson's exact position, two possibilities could be considered. The carrier could deploy in the Red Sea to reinforce the mission of the USS Harry S. Truman already operating there. Or, perhaps more likely, it could station itself in the Gulf of Oman/Persian Gulf, a position closer to Iran, consistent with reported tensions and the intention to use a deterrent against Tehran, especially with its stealth F-35Cs are capable of precision strikes.
On March 17, the Houthis announced they had launched 18 missiles and a drone against the USS Harry S. Truman. The U.S. military has not confirmed these attacks. In mid-March, Donald Trump warned that Iran would now be "held accountable" for "every shot" by the Houthis.
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