Amphibious ships leave Va. on 8-month deployment

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Three Navy ships have left Virginia to begin an eight-month deployment to Europe and the Middle East.

The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge, amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio and amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall left their bases in Virginia on Monday.

The ships are heading to North Carolina to pick up Marines and equipment from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Once they're on board, the ships will ahead across the Atlantic Ocean.

The last time the amphibious ready group deployed it delivered humanitarian assistance to Pakistan following a monsoon. It also performed combat missions in Afghanistan as well as Libya.