US Adds 3rd Carrier, 10,000 Troops to Mideast as Iran Risks Rise
US Central Command's force posture in the Persian Gulf is expanding as the USS Theodore Roosevelt departs San Diego with 10,000 sailors and Marines, potentially restoring a three-carrier presence last seen in 2003 outside this year's Iran operations. The Makin Island amphibious readiness group is also en route, while missile batteries in Qatar and Saudi Arabia aim to shield energy infrastructure from Iranian retaliation. Defense planners and aerospace suppliers will watch whether these deployments translate into sustained operational tempo and demand for carrier-based aviation, missile defense, and naval logistics.