Why the US Navy Rushed USS Tripoli to the Strait of Hormuz

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The Paradox of Hormuz: How the USS Tripoli Solved What Aircraft Carriers Could Not

In the volatile waters of the Persian Gulf, a major geopolitical and military crisis continues to unfold. Iran, a regional power with vast resources and a reputation for defiance, has been facing mounting pressure from the United States and its allies. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, has become the focal point of this struggle. Despite the United States’ overwhelming naval presence and the destruction of much of Iran’s military infrastructure, Hormuz remains a closed and contested corridor. The situation has presented a unique paradox: The U.S. Navy has solved 90% of the problem, but the last 10% remains unresolved.

In this article, we explore how the United States Navy, despite its superior naval power, is still struggling to open the Strait of Hormuz and why the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship once dismissed as a “failed experiment,” may hold the key to solving the remaining 10% of the equation.

The Siege of Hormuz: 90% Solved, But Not Enough

On March 14th, satellite trackers detected a significant movement in the South China Sea: the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, was en route to the Persian Gulf. This ship, often criticized for its unconventional design, carries 2,500 Marines and up to 20 F-35B Lightning 2 stealth fighters, making it a powerful asset for operations in the region. Its mission? To breach the blockade of Hormuz, a task that two of the U.S. Navy’s most powerful aircraft carriers, the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford, have not been able to accomplish.

Despite the success of the first two carriers in neutralizing much of Iran’s naval and missile infrastructure, Hormuz remains closed. More than 150 tankers remain anchored outside the Strait, unable to pass through due to the threat of Iranian mines, fast-attack craft, and missile launchers. Iran’s remaining capabilities, including mobile missile launchers and reinforced mountain tunnels, continue to pose a significant challenge to the U.S. Navy. The last 10% of the problem—ensuring safe passage through the Strait—remains unsolved, despite the overwhelming presence of U.S. naval power.

The paradox at the center of this crisis is simple yet profound: To close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran does not need to sink an entire convoy. It only needs to sink one tanker, ignite one burning hull, and create enough fear to shut down the shipping lanes. This fear is not based on raw firepower but on the ability to disrupt the insurance market and stop oil flow. It’s a problem that the Navy could not solve with just its carriers, but one that the USS Tripoli, an asset initially dismissed as a mistake, might be uniquely positioned to address.

The USS Tripoli: The Ship They Called a “Mistake”

When the U.S. Navy designed the America-class amphibious assault ships, including the USS Tripoli (LHA-7), they made a controversial decision: they removed the well deck, the ballast chamber at the bottom of amphibious ships used to launch landing craft. The well deck has been an essential part of amphibious assault ships since World War II, providing a means to deploy landing craft and hovercraft. Critics argued that without a well deck, the Tripoli would not be able to perform its primary function of amphibious assaults.

The backlash was severe, and the Tripoli was initially regarded as a failed experiment. However, the Navy had a different vision. By removing the well deck, the Tripoli gained valuable space for aviation operations. The ship now boasts a doubled hangar bay, expanded aviation maintenance facilities, a fully equipped surgical hospital, and significant jet fuel storage. Most importantly, the Tripoli can now operate 20 F-35B Lightning 2 stealth fighters simultaneously, a capability that no other amphibious ship possesses.

Proven during exercises in 2022, the USS Tripoli demonstrated its unique ability to operate F-35B fighter jets, a capability that makes it one of the most powerful pocket carriers afloat. This allows the ship to launch jets from an 844-foot deck without the need for catapults. This flexibility gives the Tripoli a unique advantage in areas like the Strait of Hormuz, where larger aircraft carriers are too valuable to risk.

Why the USS Tripoli is the Answer to Hormuz

The key to the USS Tripoli’s success in the Persian Gulf lies in its ability to operate close to the Strait of Hormuz. The two U.S. aircraft carriers, the Lincoln and Ford, operate in the open ocean, 500 nautical miles away from the shipping lanes. This distance creates a gap, a gap that allows Iranian drones and fast-attack craft to target tankers with impunity. The Tripoli, however, displaces just 44,000 tons and is expendable enough to operate within the critical 100-mile radius of Hormuz. With its ability to operate F-35Bs, the Tripoli can provide persistent air cover within the Strait, filling the gap left by the larger carriers.

The physics of the Tripoli’s operation is what makes it so effective. An F-35B launched from the Lincoln at 500 nautical miles needs over an hour to reach the shipping lanes, leaving only 40 minutes of actual patrol time before needing to return for fuel. The Tripoli, operating at just 100 nautical miles, reduces that transit time to 13 minutes each way, effectively tripling the time on station for its air cover. This dramatically reduces the gap in coverage, making it far less likely for Iranian drones to target tankers before they are neutralized by Tripoli’s F-35Bs.

But the Tripoli’s unique capabilities don’t stop there. The ship’s Marines, operating from helicopters and Ospreys, can insert forces onto islands and coastlines around the Strait. This ability to bypass Iran’s extensive coastal defenses, including mines and missile batteries, gives the Tripoli an edge that no other ship possesses. The Marines don’t need to land on the beaches—they can insert by air, bypassing the most heavily defended areas and neutralizing Iranian missile launchers and radar stations before the Iranian forces can react.

The Three Failures of Iran’s Defenses

For the past 40 years, Iran has built its defenses around the Strait of Hormuz, preparing to counter threats from the sea and air. Mines, shore-based missiles, and fast-attack craft have been deployed to make the Gulf too costly for foreign warships to enter. Iran’s strategy was simple: keep foreign ships at bay using a combination of asymmetrical warfare tactics.

But now, the Tripoli is introducing a new dimension that Iran has not prepared for: ground operations. The island and coastal defenses that Iran has built to stop landing craft are ineffective against Marines arriving by helicopter. With Marines on the ground, Iran’s coastal defenses become irrelevant, and the islands that were once fortified strongholds can be neutralized without a protracted battle.

This multi-dimensional approach forces Iran to defend its positions in ways it has never had to before. The same coastal defense systems that once protected its shores are now exposed to new threats from the air and ground. By inserting Marines onto these islands, the Tripoli shifts the balance of power in the Strait. It makes Iran’s defenses obsolete and forces the Iranian military to spread its resources thin, trying to defend against a new kind of threat that it never anticipated.

The Future of the Conflict: Tripoli and Beyond

The USS Tripoli’s deployment to the Strait of Hormuz marks a significant shift in the balance of power in the region. The U.S. Navy has solved 90% of the problem by neutralizing Iran’s navy, air defenses, and missile production capabilities. However, it is the last 10%—the ability to ensure safe passage for tankers—that has remained elusive. The Tripoli, with its unique capabilities, is designed to address this final piece of the puzzle.

The concept of Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) introduced by the U.S. Marine Corps represents a radical shift in military strategy. By using small, mobile units operating from temporary bases on the ground, the U.S. can achieve strategic objectives without the need for large-scale invasions or occupation. In the case of Hormuz, this approach allows the U.S. to control the shipping lanes and neutralize Iranian defenses without putting warships in harm’s way.

While the Tripoli’s deployment is just the beginning, it signals a new approach to conflict in the region. The combination of air, sea, and ground operations presents a formidable challenge to Iran’s defenses, and the Tripoli’s ability to operate close to Hormuz gives the U.S. an unprecedented advantage. The road ahead will not be easy, and Iran’s response will undoubtedly be fierce, but the Tripoli has already proven that it can change the equation in the Gulf.

Conclusion: The Tripoli’s Role in the Geopolitical Balance

The USS Tripoli’s deployment to the Persian Gulf is a game-changer. What was once considered a “mistake” by many has turned out to be the U.S. Navy’s most innovative solution to the challenges of Hormuz. With its ability to operate close to the Strait and launch air and ground operations, the Tripoli fills a gap that no other ship could. As the U.S. Navy continues its operations in the region, the Tripoli will play a crucial role in securing the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring the safe passage of vital shipping lanes. In a conflict where the stakes are incredibly high, the Tripoli represents a new era of military operations in the Gulf—one that combines technological innovation, strategic vision, and the willingness to take risks for the greater good.