U.S. Navy creating an upgunned Expeditionary Strike Group for Asia Pacific

Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet recently told reporters that the sailing branch is creating an upgunned Expeditionary Strike Group that will combine a traditional three-ship Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with a three ship guided-missile destroyer surface action group (SAG).

By U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary L. Borden (RELEASED) (http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=51717) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Leading this ESG will be USS Wasp (LHD-1), which will be the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship in Japan next year.

Adm. Scott Swift said that although the new force lacks the depth a carrier strike group brings, it will alleviate pressure of the demand for super carriers by combat commanders.