Summary and Key Points: The USS Theodore Roosevelt (TR), a Nimitz-class supercarrier, has relieved the USS Eisenhower in the Red Sea as part of Carrier Strike Group 9 (CSG 9), accompanied by Carrier Air Wing 11 (CAW 11). This deployment is part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, aimed at countering Houthi attacks on shipping.

The Roosevelt, along with its escort ships and aircraft, represents a formidable force capable of defending against various threats.

Since July 9, U.S. forces have destroyed multiple unmanned aerial and surface vehicles launched by the Houthis. The mission aims to deter aggression and ensure the safety of merchant vessels in the region.

USS Theodore Roosevelt is Headed Back to the Red Sea

Aircraft carriers serve as an enduring image of the power of the U.S. Navy and help maintain stability and freedom of the seas. They frequently deploy to hotspot areas or the scenes of natural disasters. The Red Sea is one such arena of tension and has commanded a carrier presence since last October. On July 12, the USS Teddy Roosevelt strike group with its embarked air wing relieved USS Eisenhower as the carrier on station in the region to confront Houthi attacks on shipping. 

An Overview of the TR and Nimitz Carriers

The Roosevelt is a Nimitz-class supercarrier, one of the largest warships ever built. Commissioned in 1984, she is the fourth ship in her class and has seen service in multiple conflicts around the world.

This class of ship is the first nuclear-powered carrier produced in large numbers. Her two reactors power four propellers that give her a top speed over 30 knots. This allows her to launch and recover aircraft even in completely calm winds. The power produced by the reactors is also used in the steam catapult launch system, which can fling an 80,000-lb aircraft off the end of the flight deck at 140 knots. 

CSG 9 and CAW 11:

Teddy Roosevelt did not travel to the Red Sea alone. She is accompanied by the escorting ships of Carrier Strike Group 9 (CSG 9) and the embarked aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 11 (CAW 11). Included in CSG 9 is the cruiser USS Lake Erie and destroyers USS John S. McCain, Halsey, and Daniel Inouye. Between them, they represent a formidable force capable of defending the carrier against airborne, surface, and subsurface threats. In addition, their 5 inch guns and Tomahawk missiles can strike targets afloat and shore. 

CAW 11 will no doubt be busy as the Roosevelt patrols off the coast of Yemen. The air wing is composed of four squadrons of F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighter aircraft, a squadron of E/A-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, two helicopter squadrons flying the MH-60R and MH-60S, an E-2D airborne command and control squadron, and a squadron of C-2 logistics aircraft. 

Mission in the Red Sea

The sailors and aviators of CSG 9 will participate in Operation Prosperity Guardian, confronting the continued threat posed by the Houthis in Yemen. The Houthis have continued to launch missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and unmanned surface vehicles at shipping in the Red Sea. While they claim to only target vessels affiliated with the U.S., UK, and Israel, they have struck many merchant vessels. 

Since July 9, U.S. forces including those from CSG 9 and Teddy Roosevelt have destroyed 11 UAVs and 7 USVs in Yemen and in the Red Sea. For the next few months, the crews on these ships will have much to do as they continue to deter Houthi aggression and protect merchant shipping in the region. 

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. 

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