USS George H. W. Bush Extends Deployment

On the heels of the Iranian-backed militia that launched attacks against Coalition forces in late March, CENTCOM spokesman Colonel Joe Buccino stated that the USS George H. W. Bush Carrier Strike Group would extend its deployment and remain in the eastern Mediterranean Sea close to the Syrian coast. Colonel Buccino gave the following statement: "The extension of the George H. W. Bush Carrier Strike Group, inclusive of the USS Leyte Gulf, the USS Delbert D. Black, and the USNS Arctic, allows options to potentially bolster the capabilities of CENTCOM to respond to a range of contingencies in the Middle East," as first reported by Reuters. Buccino also confirmed the deployment of an A-10 warplane squadron to the region. The extended deployment of the carrier strike group with the A-10 squadron means that the United States will be better prepared for potential attacks in the future.