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The Pentagon claimed it can “walk and chew gum at the same time” when asked how long the U.S. will go without an aircraft carrier group in the Indo-Pacific region.
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder was asked by Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin Tuesday how long he expected there would not be an aircraft carrier strike group in the Indo-Pacific. She also asked if not having a carrier in the region was risky.
“Well, look, you know, as we look at global force management and as we look at requirements around the world in support of our national security interests, we’re always taking great care to make sure that we can cover those commitments to include, in our priority theater, which is the Indo-Pacific region,” Ryder said. “And, so, we have a significant amount of capability there to include a large naval presence.”
Two carrier strike groups — the USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Abraham Lincoln — are in the Middle East as part of America’s commitment “to support Israel’s defense against threats from Iran and its regional partners and proxies,” according to the Pentagon.
2 US AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS ORDERED TO STAY IN MIDDLE EAST WITH TENSIONS HIGH
Handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy of the USS Abraham Lincoln (Zachary Pearson/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
Both carriers are in the Gulf of Oman.
Ryder told reporters the two carrier groups would remain in the region to provide additional capability and capacity to protect U.S. forces, support Israel’s defense and be ready for a variety of contingencies.
In May, the USS Ronald Reagan departed from its Japanese home port, wrapping up nearly nine years of deployment in the Indo-Pacific, where it played a key role in the U.S. effort to bolster defense ties with Japan and regional partners.
CHINA AND THE PHILIPPINES TRADE BLAME AFTER SHIPS COLLIDE IN DISPUTED SOUTH CHINA SEA
Handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy of the USS Abraham Lincoln (Stephanie Contreras/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
The Reagan will…
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