The United States is rapidly expanding its military footprint across the Middle East, positioning major naval and air assets across the region as the Trump administration mounts pressure on Iran.
While the second round of nuclear negotiations wrapped this week and were described as “constructive,” the United States has continued to amass over a dozen warships and hundreds of planes throughout the region. 
Here are the assets we know are powering America’s surging military presence:
<h2>Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups</h2>
At the center of the buildup are aircraft carrier strike groups — both equipped with aircraft, warships, and vast amounts of weaponry. 
USS Gerald R. Ford strike group
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest warship and its accompanying strike group, is en route to the Middle East from the Caribbean, according to <a href="https://news.usni.org/2026/02/17/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-feb-17-2026">USNI News</a>.  On Wednesday morning, it was spotted off the coast of Morocco, presumably heading to the Strait of Gibraltar. The Ford strike group carries a full combat air wing of F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers for electronic warfare, E-2D Hawkeye airborne command aircraft, and Seahawk helicopters — giving it deep strike, surveillance, and electronic attack capabilities.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Gerald R. Ford — nuclear aircraft carrier</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Bainbridge — Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Mahan — Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Winston S. Churchill — Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group
The USS Abraham Lincoln Strike group arrived in the Arabian Sea last month after traveling from the South China Sea. As of Tuesday, the strike group was in position and reportedly around 700 kilometers away from Iran. The Lincoln strike group fields roughly 90 aircraft, including Marine F-35C stealth fighters, Super Hornets, Growlers, and Hawkeyes — a force capable of sustained combat operations.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Abraham Lincoln, aircraft carrier</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Spruance, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
</ul>
<h2>U.S. Warships</h2>
Mediterranean Sea
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Roosevelt, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Bulkeley, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
</ul>
Red Sea
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Delbert D. Black, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Arabian Sea
<ul>
<li>USS McFaul, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
</ul>
Persian Gulf
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Mitscher, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Michael Murphy, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer (part of the USS Lincoln strike group)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Canberra, Independence-class littoral combat ship</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Santa Barbara, Independence-class littoral combat ship</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">USS Tulsa, Independence-class littoral combat ship</li>
</ul>
<h2>Airpower</h2>
Europe
Numerous U.S. aircraft have been observed staging through and departing from bases across the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Greece. The pace of movement has been so high that <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/us-amasses-more-airpower-middle-east-iran/">tracking</a> every flight in real time has become increasingly difficult. Among the aircraft we have been able to confirm are:
<ul>
<li>Numerous F-22s in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheAviationist/photos/the-deployment-of-f-22s-towards-the-middle-east-has-been-considered-by-many-to-b/919194347525233/">United Kingdom</a></li>
<li>Two E-3 Sentry AWACS in the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cddny45zppet">United Kingdom</a></li>
<li>7 KC-135 Stratotankers departed the U.K. heading to <a href="https://www.itamilradar.com/2026/02/16/usaf-deploys-18-f-35a-from-lakenheath-to-the-middle-east-marking-one-of-the-largest-recent-lightning-ii-movements/">Crete</a></li>
<li>12 F-16 Falcons seen leaving <a href="https://www.itamilradar.com/2026/02/17/usaf-sends-18-f-16s-toward-the-gulf-one-day-after-18-f-35s-confirming-sustained-fighter-surge/">Italy</a></li>
<li>Over a dozen refueling aircraft have been seen leaving the <a href="https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/satellite-footage-us-surge-tanker-qatar">Middle East</a> or Europe generally</li>
<li>6 F-35s seen leaving <a href="https://www.itamilradar.com/2026/02/13/usaf-f-35a-redeployment-from-spain-concludes-gulf-reinforcement-phase/">Spain</a></li>
<li>RC-135 Rivet Joint signals aircraft seen arriving in <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/us-amasses-more-airpower-middle-east-iran/">Crete</a> with another on the way</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Middle East
Numerous aircraft have also been spotted in Jordan, Qatar, and flying over the Strait of Hormuz. Throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, The Daily Wire tracked U.S. military cargo planes flying to and from bases across the Middle East, presumably transporting equipment and other assets.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Over 50 F-15 and EA-18 fighter jets arrived at Muwaffaq Salti military base in Jordan, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-886998">reported</a> The Jerusalem Post.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Airlift flights by C-17s and C-5Ms <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/features/us-monitor-persian-gulf-after-considerable-military-build-up/?cf-view">were reported</a> between mid-January and February 9. Dozens more continued through Tuesday and Wednesday, according to live flight-tracking data.</li>
</ul>
(Drew Berkemeyer contributed to this report)

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The Sheer Scale Of The U.S. Military Presence Building Up Around Iran