US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he had taken steps to strengthen the department’s posture in the Middle East after talks with President Joe Biden.
(Bloomberg) — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he had taken steps to strengthen the department’s posture in the Middle East after talks with President Joe Biden.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has been redirected to the central command area of responsibility, Austin said in a statement. This is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The decision to move the additional carrier group “will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies,” Austin said.
The government will add more Patriot battalions to locations in the region and activate a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to increase protection for US forces. Additional staff have been placed on “prepare to deploy orders” to increase readiness, according to the statement.
The US “will continue to assess our force posture requirements in the region and consider deploying additional capabilities as necessary,” Austin said.
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