Six US Navy warfare aircraft deployed to Roosevelt Roads

The Boeing EA-18G’s capabilities -- ranging from radar jamming to electronic attack -- are typically associated with high-end conflict scenarios rather than drug interdiction. (Wikipedia/U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Torrey W. Lee)

By THE STAR STAFF

A contingent of six U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft has been forward-deployed to the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads in Ceiba, sources told The War Zone publication.

The deployment represents roughly a full squadron of the specialized jets, which are designed to suppress enemy air defenses and conduct advanced electronic warfare missions.

The move marks a significant escalation in the ongoing U.S. military buildup across the Caribbean and surrounding region. While the Pentagon has previously emphasized counter-narcotics operations as a key mission set for forces stationed at the former base on Puerto Rico’s eastern coast, the arrival of Growlers suggests a posture that goes well beyond a routine show of force. The Boeing EA-18G’s capabilities -- ranging from radar jamming to electronic attack -- are typically associated with high-end conflict scenarios rather than drug interdiction.

Roosevelt Roads, once a major U.S. Navy hub before its closure in 2004, has seen renewed activity in recent years as Washington seeks to bolster its presence in the Western Hemisphere. The deployment of the aircraft could signal preparations for more complex operations or contingency planning amid growing geopolitical tensions in the region.

The information comes as the United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela as tensions mount with the government of President Nicolás Maduro (see related story on page 16), who has been charged with narcoterrorism in the United States.