US Central Command maintains a carrier presence in the Arabian Sea and surrounding waters amid ongoing Iran-related operations and maritime security tasks. As of early October 2026, two carriers—USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington—are operating in the theater, with the latter having relieved an earlier deployment. The USS Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego in late September on a scheduled transit expected to reach the region by late November, positioned to relieve the Washington. This rotation creates uncertainty around overlap timing, as any simultaneous presence of all three would require the Washington to remain until the Roosevelt arrives. Trader pricing places the highest probability on two carriers by November 30, reflecting standard relief patterns, while three remains plausible if commanders extend the overlap for added strike and air-defense capacity during potential post-midterm escalations. One-carrier outcomes would require an earlier Washington departure without full replacement.