WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has built up an unusually large force in the Caribbean Sea and the waters off the coast of Venezuela since this summer as part of its war against narcoterrorism.
The Navy has eight warships in the region, including three destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, a cruiser, and a smaller littoral combat ship designed for coastal operations. The amphibious assault ships form a readiness group carrying a Marine expeditionary unit equipped with helicopters and Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft capable of transporting troops or striking land and sea targets.
Destroyers and cruisers typically deploy with a loadout including Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can strike targets hundreds of miles away. Additionally, the USS Newport News submarine operates in South America, also capable of launching cruise missiles.
On the aviation front, a squadron of advanced F-35B Lightning II jets has been stationed at an airstrip in Puerto Rico, with MQ-9 Reaper drones and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft also reported in the area. The military recently revealed images of an AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft in Puerto Rico as well.
More than 6,000 sailors and Marines are engaged in operations in the region, though details on the exact number of drones and other aircraft remain scarce.
The Navy has eight warships in the region, including three destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, a cruiser, and a smaller littoral combat ship designed for coastal operations. The amphibious assault ships form a readiness group carrying a Marine expeditionary unit equipped with helicopters and Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft capable of transporting troops or striking land and sea targets.
Destroyers and cruisers typically deploy with a loadout including Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can strike targets hundreds of miles away. Additionally, the USS Newport News submarine operates in South America, also capable of launching cruise missiles.
On the aviation front, a squadron of advanced F-35B Lightning II jets has been stationed at an airstrip in Puerto Rico, with MQ-9 Reaper drones and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft also reported in the area. The military recently revealed images of an AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft in Puerto Rico as well.
More than 6,000 sailors and Marines are engaged in operations in the region, though details on the exact number of drones and other aircraft remain scarce.
