(CNN) North Korea has issued a forceful response to the deployment of a US naval strike group to the region, saying it would counter "reckless acts of aggression" with "whatever methods the US wants to take."

In a statement provided to CNN by officials in North Korea, Pyongyang said the "current grim situation" justified its "self-defensive and pre-emptive strike capabilities with the nuclear force at the core."

"We will make the US fully accountable for the catastrophic consequences that may be brought about by its high-handed and outrageous acts," the statement said.

The Pentagon sent the 97,000-ton USS Carl Vinson with an escort of a guided-missile cruiser and two destroyers after the latest missile test by North Korea last week

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the deployment was routine. Speaking to reporters in Moscow, he said there was "no particular objective" to its current course, adding that he "would not read too much" into its recent deployment to the waters near the Korean Peninsula.

At the same time, the deployment is a military show of force, signaling to North Korea that the US military can operate at sea in areas where the regime might engage in ballistic missile operations or other military provocations, according to US military officials.

But it's a signal with limited military utility. An aircraft carrier would not be military significant in operations against North Korea because of the vulnerability of its fighter jets in North Korean airspace.

Some of the carrier's communications suites could be used to command an operation if it came to that, but contingency plans have generally focused on US and South Korean commanders running any operations from shore.

Analysis of North Korean statement "While at face value harsh and aggressive, the North Korea statement issued Tuesday is no more confrontational than usual, probably more in the range of 7 or 8 on North Korea's rhetorical volume knob. But that does not dilute their message, or express a sign of willingness to compromise. The language states the DPRK's viewpoint quite simply, without any sign of softening or hardening of their already very firmly stated positions. This is not the first, second or even third time the Carl Vinson has visited these waters over the years. The current tasking of the aircraft carrier group will not have any success in persuading Pyongyang to halting or even slowing down its nuclear weapons program, everything points to it having the opposite effect." -- Tim Schwarz, CNN Beijing Bureau chief, writing from Pyongyang

It is the destroyers and cruisers, as well as a fast-attack submarine accompanying the carrier, that could be called into action if there was an operation against a North Korean ballistic missile launch. But officials emphasized the US and Japan always maintain some anti-missile capability in the western Pacific prepared to deal with North Korea.

The strike group has been at sea since January and conducted military exercises with other nations in the western Pacific, including Japan and the Republic of Korea.

The carrier group is now conducting some training with Australian forces and may also do additional training with Japanese forces as it heads further north, officials said. The Navy usually does not discuss ship locations in detail before they arrive.

To some extent, US commanders are ensuring they have the right assets and top level personnel on duty if there is a North Korean provocation, given the rising rhetoric from the regime there.

In another sign of US military concern, Gen. Vincent Brooks, the top US commander in South Korea, has decided skip long-planned congressional hearings and remain in the country.

"All decisions regarding the schedules of USFK leadership are based on our alliance priority to maintain readiness at all times," said Col. Robert Manning, a US military spokesman.

Even that move is not unprecedented, however. In 2013, the US commander at the time also skipped congressional hearings due to tensions in the region.

Complicated scenario

Carrying more than 5,000 sailors and 60 aircraft, the USS Carl Vinson is escorted by guided-missile destroyers USS Wayne E. Meyer and USS Michael Murphy and the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain.

The group's ships and air wing provide significant firepower and strike capability, but balancing the available military options with the potential of retaliation from North Korea presents a complicated scenario for President Trump.

China -- North Korea's closest ally -- has pressed the US to engage in direct diplomatic negotiations with North Korea.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday that Beijing understands how dangerous North Korea's nuclear program has become and agrees action must be taken to stop it, but China hasn't signaled any change in its approach to Pyongyang since a summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi last week.

US allies South Korea and Japan, which has seen previous North Korean missile tests fall within 200 miles of its coast, both supported the deployment of the Vinson group.

South Korea said the group's deployment was recognition of the "grave situation on the Korean Peninsula," while Japan said it was "important to secure the power of US deterrence."

The White House faces a tough task in convincing North Korea to give up its nuclear program, retired Gen. Michael Hayden, a former head of the CIA and National Security Agency told CNN's "New Day."

"No matter what we do there is this move by North Korea to build missiles and put weapons on top of missiles," Hayden said.

"This is what they count on for regime survival. ... The best we can do is box it where it is right now," he said. "I don't think we can make them give up the program."

Missile intercept

Many analysts believe the movement of US warships is likely defensive in nature, setting the stage for a scenario in which the Vinson strike group could be called upon to perform a missile intercept.

The three escort warships traveling with the Vinson have more than 300 combined missile tubes and are outfitted with the Aegis anti-missile system, according to Bruce Bennett, senior defense analyst at the think tank Rand Corp.

"If North Korea were to test some number of ballistic missiles by firing them into the East Sea/Sea of Japan, these warships would have the potential of intercepting the North Korean test missile," Bennett said.

Intercepting a long-range rocket test passing overhead would send a clear message to Kim and would be justifiable as the rockets would possibly be on course to pass over Japan, according to Peter Layton, a visiting fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute in Brisbane, Australia.

"The Carl Vinson group is commanded from Hawaii, rather than the US military base in Japan, so it's a clear American initiative not a Japanese or South Korea one," Layton told CNN. "That may defuse attempts to link Japan and South Korea and thus limit the possibility of any North Korean aggression against them."

While the carrier group has been deployed to the Korean Peninsula in the past, lawmakers are wondering how the US warships will be directed to respond to another North Korean missile test.

"Are we going to try to shoot that intercontinental ballistic missile down? Are we going to let the test go on unpaid on unimpeded? Republican Rep. Will Hurd asked on CNN's "New Day." "These are questions that should be asked of Congress."

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Offensive strike capabilities

The Trump administration has floated the idea of carrying out preemptive strikes against North Korea, but the scope and method of potential offensive actions remain unclear.

The Vinson's air wing, made up of more than 40 F/A-18 Hornets, provides the offensive capability to attack enemy targets with bombs or missiles while the carrier's E/A-18G Growler aircraft have the ability to jam enemy radars, disrupt enemy electronic surveillance and provide "cover" for attacking aircraft.

Photos: US aircraft carriers Sailors spell out #USA with the American flag on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Persian Gulf in late June 2015. When the Roosevelt leaves the Gulf sometime in October, the U.S. Navy will be without a carrier in the important region for two months. Hide Caption 1 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers A MV-22B Osprey, from Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1, lifts off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) on June 12, 2016. Click through the gallery to see other US aircraft carriers. Hide Caption 2 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers Tug boats maneuver the aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) into the James River during the ship's turn ship evolution on June 11, 2016. This is a major milestone that brings the country's newest aircraft carrier another step closer to delivery and commissioning later this year. Hide Caption 3 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) arrives at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, a suburb of Tokyo, Japan, on October 1, 2015. The Reagan is the fifth U.S. carrier forward deployed to Japan following USS George Washington (CVN 73), USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), USS Independence (CV 62) and USS Midway (CV 41), according to the Navy. Hide Caption 4 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) transits through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea on June 13, 2016. Ike, the flagship of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. It could be used to support operations against ISIS in the Mideast. Hide Caption 5 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers A rainbow forms over the bow of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis as the ship steams in the Pacific Ocean on February 3, 2015. Hide Caption 6 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers U.S. aircraft carrier classes – U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter (left) and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin shake hands on a Marine Corps V-22 Osprey as they depart the the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) after touring the aircraft carrier as it sailed in the South China Sea on April 15, 2016. Hide Caption 7 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers A photo illustration of the U.S. Navy's Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79). The ship's keel laying ceremony was celebrated Saturday, August 22, 2015, in Newport News, Virginia. The ship is expected to replace the USS Nimitz (CVN-68), scheduled for inactivation in 2025, in the Navy fleet. The newest Kennedy will be the second carrier of that name. The first John F. Kennedy (CVA-67) was the last conventionally powered carrier. It was decommissioned in 2007. Hide Caption 8 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) passes under the Friendship Bridge while transiting the Suez Canal on Dec. 14, 2015. The ship is conducting operations in the Persian Gulf, where Iran claims to have taken footage of the carrier using a drone. Click through the gallery for more images of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. Hide Caption 9 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman V. Sek, assigned to the "Jolly Rogers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103, applies a Christmas decal to an F/A-18F Super Hornet in the hangar bay of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in December 2015. Hide Caption 10 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is seen from inside its sister ship, the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), on August 7 off the coast of California as the two ships prepare for a "hull swap." Over 10 days in San Diego, much of the crew of each ship will transfer to the other. When completed, the Reagan will head to forward deployment in Japan, where the Washington had been. The Washington will head to Newport News, Virginia, for an overhaul. Hide Caption 11 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers Three Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), top, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), center, and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) are pierside at Naval Air Station North Island near San Diego on June 12, 2015. The Vinson has just recently returned from a 10-month deployment. The Reagan is preparing for a move to Japan later this year and the Stennis was making a port call after steaming from its homeport of Bremerton, Washington. Hide Caption 12 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers Sailors test the countermeasure washdown system on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during sea trials prior to returning to its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk in late August 2015. Hide Caption 13 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt departs Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on Wednesday, March 11, for a scheduled deployment. The Nimitz-class carrier's departure was delayed for two days after marine growth clogged sea water intakes. Divers went into the 36-degree water to clean out the intakes and allow the ship to get under way. The cold water created a fog that made it seem the ship was in a cloud. Hide Caption 14 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, is seen near the coast of Indonesia in 2005. The carrier recently received a new anchor from the decommissioned USS Enterprise. Hide Caption 15 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers Lightning strikes over the flight deck of the USS John C. Stennis, another Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, as the ship moves through the Persian Gulf in 2007. All of the Navy's 10 active aircraft carriers are from the Nimitz class, which started in 1975 with the commission of the USS Nimitz. Hide Caption 16 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The USS Ranger (CV-61) arrives at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1993. The Forrestal-class carrier, which featured in the movie "Top Gun," is to be scrapped this year. Hide Caption 17 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers In this photo released by the U.S. Navy, a tugboat works alongside the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Saratoga on Thursday, August 21, in Newport, Rhode Island. The Navy has paid a Texas recycling company a penny to dispose of the Saratoga, part of the Forrestal-class of "supercarrier" vessels built for the Atomic Age. The carrier was decommissioned 20 years ago. Hide Caption 18 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers Aircrew members are lifted from the flight deck of the USS John F. Kennedy during an exercise in 2002. The ship, which was decommissioned in 2007, was the only member of its class. Hide Caption 19 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers An F/A-18 Hornet launches from the USS Enterprise in 2007. The Enterprise, the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was decommissioned in 2012. Like the John F. Kennedy, it was the only ship built in its class. Hide Caption 20 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The Kitty Hawk class was named for the USS Kitty Hawk, seen here departing Yokosuka, Japan, in 2008. At that time, the Kitty Hawk was the oldest carrier in the U.S. Navy and the only conventional-power aircraft carrier still in commission. It was decommissioned in 2009. Hide Caption 21 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The USS Independence, a member of the Forrestal class that preceded the Kitty Hawk class, heads up the East River in New York in 1959. Hide Caption 22 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers Helicopters sit on the flight deck of the USS Saipan during the mid-1950s. The ship was one of two members of the Saipan class. Hide Caption 23 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The USS Midway, namesake of the Midway class of aircraft carriers, floats off the coast of North Vietnam in 1972. It was named after the Battle of Midway, when U.S. forces held back a Japanese attempt to take the Pacific atoll in 1942. Hide Caption 24 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The USS Princeton, part of the Independence class, moves off the coast of Seattle in 1944. Hide Caption 25 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The Essex-class USS Franklin burns after being hit by a Japanese dive bomber in 1945. The ship was named after Benjamin Franklin and nicknamed "Big Ben." Hide Caption 26 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The USS Wasp burns in the Coral Sea after being struck by three torpedoes from a Japanese submarine in 1942. The ship, the only one of its class, would ultimately sink because of the damage. Hide Caption 27 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers B-25 bombers sit on the deck of the USS Hornet in the Pacific Ocean in 1942. The Hornet, one of three carriers in the Yorktown class, was the ship that launched the bombers flown by Air Force Lt. Col. James Doolittle and his pilots during an air raid in Tokyo four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It also was involved in the Battle of Midway. Hide Caption 28 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers Navy personnel work on board the USS Ranger circa 1942. The Ranger was the first ship to be designed and built specifically as an aircraft carrier. It was the only ship in its class. Hide Caption 29 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers There have actually been two aircraft carriers named after the Revolutionary War's Battle of Saratoga. The first USS Saratoga, seen here moving toward San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge in 1945, was one of two members of the Lexington class of aircraft carriers. Hide Caption 30 of 31 Photos: US aircraft carriers The USS Langley, the Navy's first aircraft carrier and sole member of its class, steams off the coast of Baltimore in 1924. Hide Caption 31 of 31

"A potential US strike, using aircraft from the Vinson, could range from a small-scale strike against a single target, like a missile on a launch pad or the support equipment that makes a missile launch possible, to a broader set of military targets if the US meant to 'send a message' that an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) or atomic device test was not going to be tolerated," Dakota Wood, an analyst at the DC-based Heritage Foundation, told CNN.

But the Vinson strike group may not have the weapons to take out North Korea's nuclear assets, which are buried deep underground, Wood said.

"I believe they would normally be delivered by bomber (B-2, B-1, or perhaps B-52) which could fly from Andersen Air Base on Guam," he told CNN.

On Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was expected to attend the country's Supreme People's Assembly, a high-profile gathering of the nation's leading political figures.

North Koreans pose for a photograph at Mangyongdae, which is the birthplace of their late founder Kim Il Sung.

The meeting comes days before North Korea celebrates the April 15 birthday of deceased leader Kim Il Sung, Kim's grandfather -- amid speculation that Pyongyang will mark the occasion with by testing missiles or possibly a nuclear device.