The U.S. Navy’s Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, led by the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, began conducting maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, military officials said.

On board the mammoth vessel are Carrier Air Wing 1 and Destroyer Squadron 2, which will conduct flight operations to support ground troops in Iraq, according to a 5th Fleet news release.

Other ships in the strike group include the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul, guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, guided-missile frigate USS Nicholas, and fast combat supply ship USNS Supply.

The Enterprise left its homeport of Norfolk, Va., on May 2 on a routine rotation of U.S. maritime forces to the 5th Fleet area of operations.

Migrated