Key facts
- The U.S. military has had only one aircraft carrier deployed in the Pacific for the past 22 weeks.
- This is a reduction from the customary two carriers usually stationed in the region.
- The situation raises concerns about the naval power balance with China, which is expanding its fleet.
- The reduction in carrier presence began before the war in Iran.
The U.S. military has maintained only one aircraft carrier in the Pacific region for the past 22 weeks, a reduction from its usual two. This situation, which began in January before the war in Iran, has sparked concerns about the balance of naval power with China, which is actively expanding its own fleet. The single carrier is stationed at the Yokosuka naval base in Japan.