The United States has assembled an unusually large military force in the Caribbean Sea and waters adjacent to Venezuela, marking the most significant regional buildup in decades. The mobilisation, which began in the summer, forms a central part of the Trump administration's escalating pressure campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
A Formidable Naval and Air Armada
According to U.S. Southern Command, approximately 15,000 military personnel are now operating in the area. The naval component is particularly striking, led by the nation's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford. It is accompanied by a formidable flotilla including five destroyers, three amphibious assault ships, and two cruisers.
The amphibious assault ships constitute a readiness group, carrying an expeditionary unit of Marines along with their supporting aircraft. This includes Marine helicopters, Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and Harrier jets capable of troop transport and striking land or sea targets. The Ford carries multiple squadrons of fighter jets, while the destroyers and cruisers are typically armed with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. A U.S. Navy submarine, also capable of launching cruise missiles, is operating in the broader South American region.
Advanced Aircraft and Drone Operations
The air power concentrated in the region is equally advanced. A squadron of U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II stealth jets was deployed to an airstrip in Puerto Rico in mid-September. They have been joined by U.S. Navy EA-18G "Growler" electronic warfare jets.
Surveillance and strike capabilities are bolstered by MQ-9 Reaper drones, spotted operating from Puerto Rico, which can carry up to eight laser-guided missiles. The military has also deployed P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and, notably, an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship to Puerto Rico. This heavily armed aircraft can deliver precision gunfire on ground targets.
Strategic messaging has been underscored by repeated flights of B-52 Stratofortress and B-1 Lancer bombers to the area for what the Pentagon calls training. In a significant show of force, a pair of U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets recently spent over 30 minutes flying in the Gulf of Venezuela, coming within about 150 miles (240 kilometres) of the Venezuelan coast—the closest such incursion since the campaign began.
Strategic Objectives and Regional Impact
The massive deployment is officially framed as part of enhanced anti-drug trafficking operations. The U.S. has charged President Maduro with narco-terrorism, and the operation has included a series of strikes on alleged drug-running vessels, resulting in nearly 100 fatalities since early September.
Lt. Col. Emanuel Ortiz, a spokesperson for Southern Command, confirmed the 15,000 personnel figure includes "all military services and government civilians" supporting the mission. Nearly 10,000 are sailors and Marines aboard the warships. The Pentagon has declined to provide a detailed breakdown of aircraft and ground crew numbers, citing operational security.
This unprecedented concentration of American military might in the Caribbean represents a clear escalation in Washington's strategy towards Venezuela, combining law enforcement objectives with a potent demonstration of conventional power.
