A U.S. Navy warship believed to be carrying thousands of Marines and sailors to the Middle East was approaching the Strait of Malacca near Singapore as it sailed toward the region, maritime tracking data showed on Tuesday.
The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, was approaching Singapore on the southwestern edge of the South China Sea on Tuesday morning, according to AIS tracking data seen by CNN.
U.S. Navy ships frequently move with their AIS transponders turned off. Displaying its location when passing through areas with heavy maritime traffic, such as the waters around Singapore, allows for safer operations.
The Tripoli is believed to be carrying troops from the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), a 2,200-person rapid reaction force, after the deployment was ordered by the Pentagon, according to three officials familiar with the plans.
CNN has asked the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet for comment.
Officials told CNN the force would be sent to the Middle East but did not disclose where exactly it would be deployed or what it would be used for.
The Marine Expeditionary Force consists of four elements: command, ground operations, air operations, and logistics operations. Marine Expeditionary Forces are typically used to conduct missions such as evacuations and amphibious operations that require ship-to-shore operations, such as raids and raids. They also have ground and aviation combat units, some with special operations training.
Marinetraffic.com shows the trajectory of an “unspecified U.S. warship” that set off from Okinawa on March 11, crossed the South China Sea and approached Singapore on Tuesday morning at about 22 mph.
The nearly 850-foot-long Tripoli, based in Sasebo, Japan, displaces 45,000 tons and is essentially a small aircraft carrier that can carry F-35 stealth fighters and MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft as well as landing craft for transporting troops to shore.
It is the lead ship in the amphibious readiness group, which usually includes the amphibious transport dock ships USS New Orleans and USS San Diego. CNN could not confirm Tuesday whether the smaller ships were present at the location where the Tripoli was being tracked at sea.
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