"Secretary of Defense Austin Announces Force Posture Boost"

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has announced a series of steps to strengthen the Department of Defense's posture in the Middle East region. These steps include redirecting the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area, activating the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot battalions for force protection, and placing additional forces on prepare to deploy orders for contingency planning. The Secretary will continue to assess the force posture requirements and consider deploying additional capabilities as necessary.