MILNET: ARG ( Amphibious Ready Group)

An ARG consists of a minium of three capital ships, one of which is usually an amphibious assault vessel like an LPH, LDA, or LPD. For instance, a deployment of an ARG with the U.S.S. Belleau Wood, U.S.S. Dubuque and U.S.S. Germantown was scheduled move into the Persian Gulf as part of the annual exercise Cobra Gold.

The Belleau Wood LHA-3 is a Tarawa class amphibious assault ship that can carry up to

The Dubuque, LPD-8, is an Austin class Amphibious Transport Dock, which fields some six CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters and 900 marines. The Dubuque is armed with two 24mm Mk38 guns, two 20mm Phalanx CIWS gatling guns, and eight .50 calibre machines guns. She crews 24 officers and 396 enlisted, and the class ship (Austin LPD-4) was first deployed in February of 1965.

The Germantown. LSD-42, a Dock Landing Ship, carries 4 landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) plus some 400 to 502 Marines for amphibious assault, as well as crews 22 officers and 391 enlisted. For self protection the Whidbey Island class LSD has two 25mm Mk38 machine guns, two 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts, and six .50 caliber machines guns. The class vessel was deployed on Feb 9, 1985, with a newer class (Harpers Ferry) being first deployed in January of 1995.

Thus with these three ships, an ARG puts a total expeditionary force offshore which consists of (approximately):


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