Misbar Tracks U.S. Helicopter Carrier Miguel Keith En Route to Middle East

Using navigational data from April 19, 2026, Misbar’s team tracked the U.S. helicopter carrier and expeditionary mobile base USS Miguel Keith (IMO: 9822803) transiting the Andaman Sea at the gateway to the Indian Ocean. The vessel was heading west, with no destination disclosed, though it is likely bound for the Middle East.

Tracking Data for USS Miguel Keith

MarineTraffic data placed the U.S. vessel at coordinates 6.478733 / 95.542366 in the sea lane linking the Strait of Malacca and the Indian Ocean, where it was sailing at a steady speed of 15.8 knots.

The Indonesian Navy confirmed the vessel’s passage through the Strait of Malacca after it departed Sasebo Port in Japan on April 8. It then transited Vietnamese waters and Singapore before continuing westward through the strait toward the Indian Ocean.

USS Miguel Keith: What We Know

The vessel belongs to the Lewis B. Puller class and is considered one of the most prominent floating bases in the U.S. fleet. It displaces 90,000 tons and is 239 meters long, serving as an integrated support platform designed to reduce reliance on fixed land bases.

Misbar’s team noted that its identification underwent a significant change in International Maritime Organization records, where it was listed under the designation “US WARSHIP 5” in July 2024.

Before the deployment, the ship underwent several months of maintenance and technical overhauls at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Yokohama, Japan, to ensure the readiness of its navigational and combat systems ahead of its assignment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

Media reports link the deployment of the mobile base to efforts to enhance surveillance capabilities and secure maritime routes, providing a mobile platform for MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters specialized in mine countermeasures and special operations. The capability is seen as increasing U.S. operational flexibility in managing naval blockades and countering maritime threats in the Strait of Hormuz.

The movement comes amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and Washington’s announcement of Operation “Economic Fury.”

Iran has again closed the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, calling the move a response to what it described as Washington’s violation of commitments and its continued naval blockade of Iranian ports.

The decision coincided with threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to end the temporary ceasefire signed on April 8 unless a final agreement is reached.

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