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Posted on 11/02/2007 3:18:52 PM PDT by knighthawk
MANAMA (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy began a series of exercises in the Gulf and wider Gulf waters on Friday involving a U.S aircraft carrier and two expeditionary assault ships.
The five-day crisis response exercise involved amphibious, air and medical forces, the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain, said in a statement.
"The scenario is challenging but prepares us for a real-world event," Commander Jay Chambers, of Combined Task Force 59, said.
The start of the exercises coincided with world powers agreeing at talks in London to push ahead with a third round of sanctions against Iran, unless reports indicate Tehran has tried to address their concerns about its nuclear programme.
Washington has not ruled out military action against Iran, which lies on the Gulf. Tehran denies it is seeking nuclear weapons.
Fifth Fleet spokesman Lieutenant John Gay said the exercises had been planned for months and were not related to specific events, instead outlining only humanitarian assistance and natural disaster scenarios for the manoeuvres.
"Our primary goal is to enforce maritime security including the free flow of commerce through the Gulf for all regional partners ... We are committed to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to ensure that there is a free flow of commerce throughout the region," Gay said.
The United States has launched several war games at Iran's doorstep in recent years. In June, the largest U.S. military flotilla to enter the Gulf since the 2003 Iraq war wound up two weeks of war drills off Iran's coast and near the Strait of Hormuz, a major channel for oil shipments from the Gulf.
Iran has dismissed the U.S. naval war games near its waters as a morale boosting exercise for American forces.
An Iranian Revolutionary Guards naval commander suggested on Monday that Iran's Islamic militia forces would be capable of disrupting strategic Gulf oil shipping routes with a small operation if ever the need arose.
Chambers said the manoeuvres were designed to practise a coordinated response to a natural disaster or crisis in the region.
The navy said the exercise inside the Gulf was led by a task force that includes the Wasp, an amphibious assault ship. The vessel, which looks like a small aircraft carrier, carries Marine corps helicopters and landing craft.
The navy also said the aircraft carrier Enterprise and its strike group and the Kearsarge expeditionary strike group had begun training in wider Gulf waters.
The Kearsarge is another amphibious assault ship equipped with helicopters and landing craft. The U.S. Marine Corps operates from the ship, which is designed for rapid deployment.
"Multiple strike groups are capable of executing a broad range of operations," the U.S. Navy said.
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Good!
It will make our endeavors at maintaining a civilized humanity that much less painful.
“Multiple strike groups are capable of executing a broad range of operations,”
Yes, yes they are.
Iran = better look out.
Put up or shut up! (LOL)
Lest we forget the rantings of "Baghdad Bob".
The United States Armed Forces could (if need be) remove any vestige of Iran's existence if "need be".
Come to think about it Allegra, lately more "doom and gloom" reporting is coming out of Pakistan than what is coming out of Iraq.
Good news is no news to the MSM.
That hull number...
“CV-FR”
Hmmmmm, looks a lot like the Midway or Coral Sea...;-)
Man, I miss those ships...
The USS Free Republic, now thats a great name for a ship of the line!
I was there in 1987 when we made short work of what they wanted to try and “disrupt”...
I actually pity the poor dumb bastards, I really do...
The Sahand and Sabalan were made into hazards to navigation after we got done with them...
Screw whatever they think they can send out these days...
SOMEWHERE NEAR THE OUTSKIRTS OF TEHRAN: 2 SPOTTERS IN A SANDBAG BUNKER....
‘LOOK ...AKBAR INTO THE DESERT SKY..IS IT A BIRD?....IS IT A PLANE? .....NO, INDEED IT IS AN AMERICAN KILLER BEE, AND HE CARRIES BENEATH HIM A MAOB....BY ALL THAT IS SACRED OMAR, WE HAVE GEN PETRAUS ON THE TELEPHONE DEVICE.. HE SAYS THEY WILL MAKE BUT A ONE PASS AND ONE PASS ONLY BEFORE HE TURNS US ALL INTO SHEETS OF GLASS...RAISE UP QUICKLY THE WHITE SHEETS OF SURRENDER ...BEFORE WE ARE ALL TURNED INTO THE COLOR OF THE COKE BOTTLE...’
The bombing begins in 5 minutes.
Gotta love Reagan. The Iranian navy learned a hard lesson that night.
OR
"Sabre Rattling escalates"
They are the shock troops and they are ready to shock.
“Tet68,
the Kearsarge is part of the 22nd MEU with about 2,000 Marines on board it and other ships of the group. They can put them ashore with tanks in a few hours from 5o miles out and support them with their own air cover.”
Are they equipped with those air-cushion landing craft? Those things are fast.
I believe that is the ship I was on in 1972 and 1973 ... on Yankee Station Vietnam ... The USS Midway CVA-41
There was a 41 where that FR is. USS Midway. There were three Midway class carriers, two properly named and one named for some politician.
Roger that.
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