more random naval ponderings
The aircraft carrier USS Lincoln has arrived in the Persian Gulf, where it briefly overlapped with the USS Truman - which has now left and is in the Med.
The USS Washington has finally rounded the Cape and is in the southern Pacific, heading for Japan to replace the Kitty Hawk.
The Kitty Hawk is in the Philippine Sea, with the USS Nimitz - which went west, not east after leaving Guam.
The Kitty Hawk and Nimitz may detour to "invade Burma" - this is not as stupid as it sounds, the UN has seriously contemplated asking member nations to land aid workers and forces to assist (and protect) them, without the permission of the Myanmar government. That might yet happen - the purpose would be to help tropical cyclone Nagris victims. The two carrier strike groups and an expeditionary strike force happen to be conveniently nearby.
And... the USS Reagan is going on routine deployment next week.
I presume the Persian Gulf or the general, vicinity thereof, which is a little bit surprising, since the Lincoln just got there.
They going to double up the carriers in the Gulf/Arabian Sea for the whole summer?
Hrmph.
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Nimitz ain't going anywhere; she's coming up for a turn back in port (sailed 24th January). I am not aware of Reagan doing anything special, but she has ticked all her boxes (CARQUAL, COMPTUEX, JTFEX).
The ship near Burma is the Essex, with friends.
To put it another way, the US Navy has got back to its planned normal posture - one carrier marking WestPac, another marking IO/Gulf, one returning from deployment and still ready for a while and one in operational reserve with all boxes ticked off.
Yup.
Things are a little bit hectic right now because of the Kitty Hawk/Nimitz/Washington rotation.
The Nimitz was announced back in Jan to be on a short cruise (4 months IIRC) so should go back right now, but could keep piddling about for another month or two. The Kitty Hawk should be headed back to the US to stay when the Washington gets up to Japan. Be cute if they overlap for a photo-op first.
The Reagan going out so soon after the Lincoln is a bit surprising, would expect them to stagger the tours a bit better - and since she is going to "support the war on terror", she might be patrolling very far west in the western pacific...
Or not.
Posturing? PSYOPS? Real thing? Does not make any sense.
There is considerable speculation and buzz in Washington today [May 9th] suggesting that the National Security Council has agreed in principle to proceed with plans to attack an Iranian al-Qods-run camp that is believed to be training Iraqi militants. The camp that will be targeted is one of several located near Tehran. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was the only senior official urging delay in taking any offensive action.
http://www.amconmag.com/blog/2008/05/09/war-with-iran-might-be-closer-t…
Wishful thinking?
The Kitty Hawk is now reported to be back in harbour in Japan. She is done.