The aircraft carrier USS George Washington and other Navy ships were ordered by the Pentagon on Monday to make "best speed" for the typhoon-battered Philippines.
The Japanese-based aircraft carrier, which carries 5,000 sailors and more than 80 aircraft, is in Hong Kong for a port visit. The crew is being recalled early from shore leave, Pentagon press secretary George Little said in a release.
In company with the carrier will be the cruisers Antietam and Cowpens and the destroyer Mustin. The supply ship Charles Drew is already underway and will rendezvous with the group as they get closer.
The destroyer Lassen got underway Sunday for the region. Embarked on board the USS George Washington is Carrier Air Wing 5 with Seahawk helicopters.
"As needed, these ships and aircraft will be able to provide humanitarian assistance, supplies and medical care in support of the ongoing efforts led by the government and military of the Republic of the Philippines," Little said.
The Pentagon said the ships should arrive in the Philippines in 48 to 72 hours.
U.S. Marine Corps C-130 cargo aircraft assisted Monday in the delivery of 38,000 pounds of relief supplies provided by the government of the Philippines as the U.S. military helps the nation recover from Super Typhoon Haiyan.
At the request of the Philippines, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel directed the U.S. Pacific Command at Camp Smith to support humanitarian relief operations in the Philippines.
The Pacific Command designated U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, also at Camp Smith, as the "executive agent" for the operation, the Marines said.
U.S. military assets began moving Sunday (Philippine time) to begin initial assessments of support requirements. The forward command element/humanitarian assistance survey team, led by Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy, "is continuously assessing the situation along with the govern- ment and armed forces of the Philippines to determine how to best make use of personnel and resources," the Marine Corps said.
Approximately 215 U.S. military personnel are currently deployed in support of this operation.
The initial focus includes surface and airborne maritime search and rescue, medium-heavy helicopter lift support, fixed-wing lift support and logistics enablers.
This includes four MV-22B tilt-rotor Ospreys and five KC-130J Hercules aircraft out of Okinawa, Japan.
"The MV-22 provides a unique capability in this type of operation: With its short/vertical take-off and landing capabilities, it can operate in austere environments," the Corps said. "Its ability to convert quickly to fixed-wing configuration gives it greatly increased speed and range over traditional rotary wing aircraft."
Two U.S. Navy P-3 Orion aircraft from Patrol Squadron 26, based in Jacksonville, Fla., and currently on a six-month rotation to Misawa, Japan, are in the Philippines to assist with the armed forces of the Philippines’ search and rescue operations.
Marines are expected today to assist with receiving relief supplies from the U.S. Agency for International Development as well as assisting with the transport of those supplies to the affected areas.
