Makin in the Gulf

The USS Makin Island (LHD-8) Amphibious Ready Group with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and an Aviation Combat Element embarked, transited from the the Somalia basin to the North Arabian Sea via the Strait of Hormuz and entered now in the Persian Gulf on 8 February 2021.

Makin Island is operating with the ACE that is formed around Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164 (Reinforced). The MV-22B squadron, nicknamed Knighriders ('YT-xx') is reinforced with detachments of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 466 Wolfpack ('YT-2xx' for its CH-53E), Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469 Vangeance ('YT-3x' for the UH-1Y and 'YT-4x' for the AH-1Z) and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron  (VMFA) 122 Flying Leathernecks ('DC-xx'for its F-35B). The Makin itself has two MH-60S for Search and Rescue and Anti-Surface/Submarine Warfare missions assigned, originating from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23/Det.2 Wildcards ('WC-xx').

Makin was involved in Operation Octave Quartz, the repositioning of about 700 US troops from Somalia to other parts of Africa. The ACE, with mainly its F-35Bs, flew close air support missions in support of that operations near and over Somalia as USNI reports.

Makin Island started its deployment on 5 October 2020 and is the first US capital ship to operate in the Persian Gulf since USS Nimitz (CVN-68). Nimitz and its escorts spent two months operating in the Gulf from September to November 2020, before departing for exercises with the Indian Navy and later to support Octave Quartz with the Makin Island ARG. CVN-68 is currently on its way back to the USA and drilled with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group in the South China Sea. CVN-71 is most probably on its way to the Middle East area of operations.

Photo by US Navy/Marine Corps