A Wasp-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 1995 and homeported at Naval Base San Diego, Boxer displaces roughly 41,000 tons and carries landing craft, helicopters and F-35B jets alongside a full MEU. It shot down an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz in July 2019, during an earlier period of US-Iran tension.

USS Boxer (LHD-4) Left San Diego in March 2026 as flagship of an Amphibious Ready Group carrying 2,200 Marines of the 11th MEU, the second such surge of the war, following Pentagon planning for options to seize Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export terminal. It reached the Middle East on 30 June, joining USS Portland and USS Comstock as the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, part of a build-up that brought US theatre posture to roughly 24 warships and 50,000 personnel.

Boxer's arrival, alongside the 82nd Airborne's deployment order, completes the ground-option build-up first signalled by its departure, and now sits alongside a paused Doha diplomatic track: talks are suspended until Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's 4-9 July state funeral concludes. A force this size keeps a ground-phase option live while negotiators wait, raising the stakes of any Pentagon miscalculation.

Common Questions

What is USS Boxer?

USS Boxer (LHD-4) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship homeported at Naval Base San Diego, capable of carrying a Marine Expeditionary Unit with landing craft, helicopters, and F-35B jets.Source: entity

Why did USS Boxer deploy in 2026?

Boxer deployed as flagship of an Amphibious Ready Group carrying 2,200 Marines of the 11th MEU, following Pentagon reports of planning for potential ground operations inside Iran, including options to seize Kharg Island.Source: entity

What is the 11th MEU on USS Boxer?

The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is the roughly 2,200-strong Marine force embarked on Boxer during the 2026 deployment, providing amphibious assault and ground-operation capability in the Gulf region.Source: entity

Has USS Boxer been to the Gulf before?

Yes. In July 2019 Boxer shot down an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz during a previous period of US-Iran tension, an incident Iran initially denied.Source: entity

Could USS Boxer seize Kharg Island?

Boxer carries the assault capability to support such an operation, but seizing Kharg Island would require sustained ground forces FAR beyond one ARG; it represents a tripwire for escalation to full-scale war rather than a standalone mission.Source: entity

When did the USS Boxer reach the Middle East?

USS Boxer and USS Portland reached the Middle East on 30 June 2026, joining USS Comstock to form the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group around the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.Source: Lowdown

Source Material

U.S. Navy ship shot down Iranian drone in Strait of Hormuz, Trump says Wasp-Class Amphibious Assault Ship — US Navy Fact File USS Boxer (LHD-4) — Wikipedia