The USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (CSG) earlier this month entered the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations to deter aggression by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis.

The CSG, which includes the Roosevelt, Carrier Air Wing 11 and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Russell, USS Daniel K. Inouye and USS Halsey, entered the region on July 12, CENTCOM said in a statement.

It will now patrol the Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational effort led by the United States to protect maritime shipping in the region.

The Houthis have conducted a campaign of aggression against commercial vessels and civilian crews in the Red Sea, interrupting international commerce and leading to heightened shipping costs and disruption in international supply chains.

The CSG will "deter aggression, promote regional stability, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region," CENTCOM said.

'The Big Stick'

The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), homeported in San Diego, is the fourth Nimitz-class supercarrier.

It is affectionately nicknamed "TR" or "the Big Stick" after its namesake 26th President Theodore Roosevelt's celebrated description of his foreign policy: "Speak softly, and carry a big stick."

Launched in 1984, the carrier transports up to 90 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters wherever it goes.

Its armaments are specifically designed to counter and destroy anti-ship missiles and a wide variety of both air and surface threats.

The Theodore Roosevelt is equipped with RIM-7 Sea Sparrows, a short-range, radar-guided anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapon system, and lightweight, fire-and-forget RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles.

Two Phalanx Close-in Weapon System Gatling guns also protect the Big Stick and its crew from anti-ship missiles and other land-, sea- and air-based threats.

Most powerful in the world

The US Navy is consistently ranked as the world's most powerful navy with its fleet of almost 300 ships.

It operates 10 Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, also known as supercarriers. These enormous vessels are the largest warships in the world, typically carrying a crew of over 5,000 including air wing personnel.

Nimitz-class supercarriers are powered by two nuclear reactors and four shafts, reaching speeds of more than 30 knots at sea.

Supercarriers are the primary choice for forward operations and power projection, capable of situating large numbers of US personnel, weapons and pieces of equipment anywhere in the world and whenever needed.