U.S. Africa Command announced Friday that the San Antonio would conduct a relief in place with the Wasp to allow the mission to continue.
An AfriCom spokesman, Charles Prichard, told Military.com the San Antonio would contribute UH-1Y Huey Venoms and AH-1W SuperCobras from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit's aviation combat unit, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (reinforced). Notably, the San Antonio is not equipped with AV-8B Harriers, which had been the primary strike asset for the Wasp.
"USS San Antonio is more than capable of sustaining the current mission," Prichard said. "The sailors and Marines of the Wasp [Amphibious Ready Group]/22nd MEU team will receive follow-on tasking and continue their deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet area of operation."
Both the San Antonio and the Wasp are part of the 22nd MEU, which deployed from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in June. The Wasp has been in the Mediterranean since Aug. 1, when the U.S. began airstrikes over Libya at the request of the country's government of national accord in efforts to retake the key city of Sirte from ISIS militants.
