Third US Aircraft Carrier Returning Unexpectedly To Mideast Ahead Of Schedule
Third US Aircraft Carrier Returning Unexpectedly To Mideast Ahead Of Schedule | ZeroHedge.
The last time the US navy sent three aircraft carriers into the Arabian Sea/Persian Gulf was just a few short weeks before WTI broke above $110, and aggressive military tensions, coupled with concerns of an imminent invasion of Iran by Israel and/or ‘others’, were running high. Then summer arrived, as did the need to lower the price of gas and crude ahead of a veritable cornucopia of central banks easing into June and July, not to mention the need to keep gas as low as possible into the July 4th holiday. Now that the peak summer months are behind us this is all changing, and 4 months ahead of the presidential election, the need to have the “Wag the Dog” put option to round up the troops, not to mention votes, has arrived, as has the need to return to an outright aggressive military stance where Iran is concerned. Which is why we were not very surprised to learn that that Middle East veteran aircraft carrier, the CVN-74 Stennis, is going right back into Mordor, a few short months after it came back from its long stint in the Fifth Fleet, and will shortly complete the trio of aircraft carriers stationed within miles of Iran.
From Kitsapsun:
“Bremerton-based aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis is returning to the Middle East much sooner than expected. The Navy hasn’t officially announced the new deployment plan for the Stennis, said spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Zach Harrell.” The ship came home to Naval Base Kitsap on March 2 after seven months of launching planes into Iraq and Afghanistan. Generally, it wouldn’t go back to the Fifth Fleet area of responsibility for four to five years, after a deployment to the Western Pacific and a maintenance period. But with Iran making threats, crew members learned Saturday they’ll be leaving again in late August for eight months.”
Oh, it is Iran making threats? We get it. Just like Syria is making threats to Turkey after the country “aggressively” took down a Turkish jet which was amicably flying over Syrian territory.
At least with the Stennis back, the US public can sleep soundly because Iran will not feel at all threatened with not two but three carriers, not to mention however many supporting ships:
Two U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups — USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Enterprise — are now in the Middle East. The Navy has doubled the number of minesweepers in the region, to eight, and moved a converted amphibious transport and docking ship, the USS Ponce, into the Persian Gulf to serve as a floating staging base for military operations or humanitarian assistance. Its first job will be as a hub for mine-clearing, according to Pentagon officials.
At least unlike the the Enterprise, which is currently on its final lifetime assignment for some reason in the Persian Gulf, the Stennis at least is veteran when it comes to all matters Middle Eastern.
Explore posts in the same categories: UncategorizedThe Stennis is familiar with Iranian threats. During its last deployment, which ran from August 2011 to March 2012, it exited the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz. The chief of Iran’s military was quoted as telling “the American warship that passed through the Strait of Hormuz and went to the Gulf of Oman not to return to the Persian Gulf.” The Stennis just went about its business, launching planes to help troops in Afghanistan, though family and friends back home were worried by the news coverage.
U.S. officials said the ships were in international waters, and they won’t tolerate any effort by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-sixth of the world’s oil is transported.
During its last deployment, the Stennis air wing conducted 13,389 sorties in support of troops in both wars, and rescued Iranian cargo ship sailors from pirates.
WarSclerotic 
July 10, 2012 at 8:03 PM
The world’s biggest standoff…and who’s going to fire the first shot?
July 10, 2012 at 9:05 PM
At least unlike the the Enterprise, which is currently on its final lifetime assignment for some reason in the Persian Gulf, the Stennis at least is veteran when it comes to all matters Middle Eastern
Actually in 1988 The Enterprise sunk 2 Iranian warships and several patrol boats….so she has a longer history dealing with these nitwits than the Stennis….jusy FYI
July 10, 2012 at 8:25 PM
“Syria aggressively shot down an amicable turkish jet??” Who is the idiot who still believes that Turkey is a victim here?? Turkey was testing the friend or foe codes taken from the Mig-21 that defected a couple of days ago… Go read the news people, but not CNN or the likes
July 11, 2012 at 7:53 AM
The writer of this article is not completely informed. Counting the Stennis, there will be 4 carriers in the region early/mid Sept. 2012. Besides the USS Enterprise & USS Abraham Lincoln; the USS Eisenhower arrived in the Mediterranean late last week. And there are rumors that the George H.W. Bush may also be deployed soon. Of America’s aircraft carrier fleet; 9 out of the 11 US carriers are currently conducting sea maneuvers. (the other 2, USS Theodore Roosevelt, is undergoing a 3 & 1/2 year nuclear reactor core overhaul since Aug. 29 2009 and won’t be available until late 2013; the USS Ronald Reagan is undergoing Dock-Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) since Jan 10, 2012 that will take a year to complete, and wont be available until mid 2013.
There will be a new carrier launched in 2013 as the beginning of a new class, USS Gerald R. Ford; but it won’t be combat ready until 2015.
As a side note the 2 carriers in the Persian Gulf/Arabian Sea area. the USS Enterprise on its final deplyemnt is scheduled to for its Inactivation Ceremony at Norfolk Dec. 1, 2012. A cruiser that is currently deployed with Enterprise, USS Vicksburg is scheduled to decommissioned around the same time. Also a destroyer that is part of the Enterprise battle group, USS Porter, will be getting over a 1 year overhaul to fitted with sea-based ABM capability.
The 2nd carrier, USS Abraham Lincoln, departed Everett, Washington Dec 7, 2011 for a nearly year long around-the-world cruise, that will take to new homeport in Norfolk, and is relocating to conduct a scheduled 4-year RCOH at Newport News Shipbuilding.
Along with USS Ponce amphibious carrier that was to be decommisioned now in the Persian Gulf as a commando platform, the US Navy has moved a lot of ships that soon won’t be around to for they are to be be scrapped back home, in essensce, ships that they can afford to lose, (acceptable losses, if you get my drift).
July 11, 2012 at 3:24 PM
An excellent opportunity for China to test its newly developed missile?
The Washington Times
Monday, December 27, 2010
China’s military is deploying a new anti-ship ballistic missile that can sink U.S. aircraft carriers, a weapon that specialists say gives Beijing new power-projection capabilities that will affect U.S. support for its Pacific allies.
July 12, 2012 at 12:12 AM
It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with 3 US Carrier groups with their escort ships, the French Carrier with it’s escorts, & other Western Naval battle groups/firepower (possible UK Carrier group too) converging off the Iranian coast along with additional US-Western-Arab coalition ships concentrating within a very small area. Let’s hope that the Russian’s haven’t sold Iran, their “Shkval” Supercavitation-torpedo, that travels like a missile underwater at over 200-300+ knots, depending the particular model, which was made specifically to be an asymmetrical weapon to defeat nuclear submarines but especially US Carriers. If the Iranians have large numbers of these weapons, which I believe they do….I pray that the US has found counter-measures against this weapon since obtaining a couple of these “Shkval” torpedoes from a former Soviet-state (Ukraine) in the late 90’s or it’s going to get really nasty & we’re in for a big surprise regarding Iran’s small navy & keeping open the “Straights of Hormuz” immediately after military confrontations start.
July 12, 2012 at 7:58 PM
The U.S. and it’s western allies are aware of these new weapons of war. Our intelligence agencies are on constant watch and monitor these weapon developments. The U.S. has weaponry in our arsenal that have never been used in warfare and are waiting to be used for the first time. The American public, nor the rest of the world are even aware that these weapons exist. Most of these so-called “UFO’s” are actually new weapons systems being tested in the hours of darkness. The U.S. currently remains the sole military “Superpower” in the entire world. Russia, China, Iran and the rest of the world are aware of this, though they will not come right out and say so. Russia does not want to get in the way of any mid east action. Once the U.S. is ready to commence bombing and cruise missile launches, Russia will step back. Russia does not want to go head to head with NATO. Russia would lose thousand of her soldiers and would be sent home in disgrace. Russia knows and understands this. Putin and Medvedev are playing a game that they would lose. They need to think twice before getting in the middle of armed conflict with NATO forces.