Khaberni - CNN reported that a US Navy warship believed to be carrying thousands of Marines and sailors is approaching the Strait of Malacca off Singapore, en route to the Middle East.
The channel provided the information based on maritime tracking data it accessed on Tuesday.
Data from the Automatic Identification System for ships showed that the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli was approaching Singapore on Tuesday morning, after leaving Okinawa on March 11 and crossing the South China Sea at a speed of approximately 22 miles per hour.
This ship, which is about 850 feet long and weighs around 45,000 tons, serves as a small aircraft carrier, as it can carry F-35 stealth fighters, MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, and landing craft to transport troops to shore.
CNN quoted three informed officials as saying that the ship is likely to carry members from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, a rapid intervention force consisting of about 2,200 personnel, following the US Department of Defense’s decision to deploy it in the Middle East, without disclosing the location of its deployment or the nature of the tasks assigned to it.
These units typically consist of four main elements including command, ground combat, air combat, and logistical support, and are used in evacuation missions, amphibious operations, and assaults, in addition to some having capabilities to execute special operations.
CNN mentioned that it requested comments from the US Fifth and Seventh Fleets regarding these movements, without receiving an immediate response.
Source: CNN
