Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Navy's amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) has arrived in Cyprus and may be deployed to the Middle East as tensions escalate in the region. The Wasp, part of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), has been conducting operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, supporting U.S. and allied interests. Many consider these styles of warships a sort of mini aircraft carrier for their capabilities. 

-Though not a traditional aircraft carrier, the Wasp can deploy Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and is capable of air and ground strikes.

Bottomline: Its presence in the Middle East could deter further aggression from Iran-backed Houthi militants and support humanitarian efforts amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Another U.S. Navy Flattop is Heading to the Middle East

The United States Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers continue to be stretched thin, especially as Washington seeks to deter China and North Korea in the Indo-Pacific while maintaining a presence in the Middle East to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea and counter the Iran-back Houthi militants. The sea service has been forced to play a game of musical chairs, but just last week another flattop arrived in Cyprus and could be deployed to the Middle East if needed.

Though it wasn't a true "carrier," the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1), with embarked 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC), arrived last Thursday at the port of Limassol, Republic of Cyprus for a scheduled port-of-call visit.

"The Republic of Cyprus is a frequent destination for U.S. Navy ships operating in the Mediterranean," the U.S. Navy announced.

"Wasp has been underway conducting operations in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean since early April as the flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (WSP ARG)," the sea service added. "The Wasp, along with USS New York and USS Oak Hill, the two other ships that make up the ARG, is on a scheduled deployment to the NAVEUR-NAVAF area of operations, supporting U.S., Allied and partner interests in the region, including in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, to continue promoting regional stability and deterring aggression."

Military Support and Humanitarian Aid

The United States Navy has continued to send warships to help keep the ongoing conflict in Gaza from escalating and serving to deter Tehran and the multiple proxies it supports from carrying out additional attacks on civilian vessels, as well as on the State of Israel.

In addition, the ARG is ready to aid in the evacuation efforts of Europeans and those of third-country nations if tensions further escalate.

"The USS Wasp is visiting (Cyprus) in support of long-planned (U.S.-Cyprus) partnership activities. The visit comes at a time when (the U.S.) continues all efforts along with key partners to de-escalate regional tensions & to be prepared to support civilians in crisis," wrote Julie Davis Fisher, U.S. ambassador to Cyprus on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Not a True Carrier – But the Wasp Can Sting!

USS Wasp (LHD-1) is the lead vessel of a class of seven amphibious assault ships. Displacing 40,500 long tons (41,150 tons) under full load, LHD-1 is actually only about 20,000 tons lighter than the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 001 Liaoning aircraft carrier. USS Wasp is also just around 150 feet shorter – 853 feet in length compared to 1,005 feet of the Chinese vessel.

And though LHD-1 carries fewer aircraft, it also can deploy those aforementioned United States Marines of the 24th MEU.

"For over thirty-five years, the Wasp-class vessels have remained the U.S. Navy's large-deck multipurpose amphibious assault ships. As of 2024, seven Wasp-class ships are still commissioned," wrote Maya Carlin for The National Interest earlier this year, adding, "These landing helicopter dock (LHD) vessels are capable of transporting nearly the full strength of a U.S. Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary Unit. Notably, the Wasp ships were the first to be specifically designed to employ air-cushion landing craft and to carry Harrier II AV-8B short take-off vertical landing jets."

Thus, while not a true carrier, the U.S. Navy's LHDs can strike hard from the air and then put boots on the ground. The fact that one could now be heading to the Middle East could be enough to prevent the Houthis – not to mention Tehran – from doing much more than saber rattling.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Image Credit: Creative Commons.