Stennis, Nimitz and Bonhomme Richard Enter the Persian Gulf

Navy Newsstand ^ | 5/23/2007 | U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Story Number: NNS070523-03

USS JOHN C. STENNIS, At Sea (NNS) -- The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Strike Groups and USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Expeditionary Strike Group entered the Persian Gulf May 23.

While operating in the Persian Gulf, the carriers and amphibious strike groups and their associated forces will conduct missions in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and will also perform Expeditionary Strike Force (ESF) training.

This marks the first time the Stennis (JCS), Nimitz (NIM) and Bonhomme Richard (BHR) strike groups have operated together in combined training while deployed to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. In March, Stennis and the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group conducted a dual-carrier exercise in the Persian Gulf.

The ESF training demonstrates the importance of the strike groups’ ability to plan and conduct multi-task force operations as part of the U.S.’s long-standing commitment to maintaining maritime security and stability in the region.

“We are conducting this training in order to gain valuable experience across a wide spectrum of naval disciplines. This training demonstrates our commitment to security and stability in the Gulf area, and our commitment to regional partners,” said Vice Adm. Kevin J. Cosgriff, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet.

The timing of this exercise is determined by the availability of forces, and is not connected to events in the region. The exercise is not directed against any nation.

The air wings from the aircraft carriers and BHR will conduct air training while the surface components will conduct training in three general disciplines: anti-submarine, anti-surface and mine warfare.

JCS is the flagship for this training. JCS left its homeport of Bremerton, Wash., on Jan. 16 for a regularly scheduled deployment and began operating in the region Feb. 19.

The Nimitz Strike Group left its homeport of San Diego on April 2 and entered the region May 8.

The Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHR ESG) left its homeport of San Diego on April 10 and entered the 5th Fleet area of operations May 19.

Along with JCS, other ships in its strike group which made the transit include the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) and the guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77).

Stennis’ Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 squadrons include the “Black Knights” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154, “Blue Diamonds” of VFA-146, “Argonauts” of VFA-147, “Death Rattlers” of Marine Strike Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 323, “Yellowjackets” of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 138, “Golden Hawks” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 112, “Topcats” of Sea Control Squadron 31, “Eightballers” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 8, and “Providers” of Logistics Support Squadron 30.

Accompanying NIM is guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76).

Nimitz's CVW-11 squadrons include VFA-14 “Tophatters,” VFA-41 “Black Aces,” VFA-81 “Sunliners,” Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117 “Wallbangers,” VMFA-232 “Red Devils,” Electronic Warfare Squadron 135 “Black Ravens,” Logistics Support Squadron 30 “Providers,” and HS-6 “Indians.”

Accompanying BHR is the amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9), amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LPD 47) and fast-attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756).

Embarked aboard BHR is Amphibious Squadron 7. Also embarked aboard BHR, Denver and Rushmore are units from Beach Master Unit 1, Assault Craft Units 1 and 5, Tactical Air Control Squadron 12, Naval Beach Group 1, and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23. The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) makes up the Marine force embarked with the ESG. Units of the 13th MEU include Combat Logistics Battalion 13; Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment; and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 - Reinforced.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet, visit www.news.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

070522-N-8157C-240 ARABIAN SEA (May 22, 2007) - (from foreground) USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transit the Gulf of Oman. The three ships are flagships for three different strike groups; the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, and the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, which are on regularly, scheduled deployments in support of Maritime Operations. Maritime Operations help set the conditions for security and stability, as well as complement counter-terrorism and security efforts to regional nations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Denny Cantrell (RELEASED)

[RedRover]

3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment

God bless 'em all.

[gate2wire]

I’ll bet the nuts of all iranians shriveled up. LOL.

[FremontLives]

That’s the sexiest thing I’ve seen in a long time.

[wbill]

That’s some serious striking power. Guess we’re showing the world that we mean business.

[roaddog727]

what they did not indicate in the ship count was how many SSN’s are patrolling around the ESG and CSG. (Good thing - thet the Iranians guess)

[BwanaNdege]

“The timing of this exercise is determined by the availability of forces, and is not connected to events in the region. The exercise is not directed against any nation. “ (wink, wink...nod, nod)

Yeah, right...

[mewzilla]

Eternal Father — The "Navy Hymn"

[brothers4thID]

Gorgeous

[Badeye]

Thats a very busy piece of airspace today....(chuckle)

[Brownie63]

Give ‘em hell, Navy!
...you too Marines!

from former Army paratrooper.

[Diogenesis]

and then some.

[epluribus_2]

Sphincter pressure forcasts for the week range from 9.2 to an all time high of 9.99 in Tehran, on accuweather’s new Sphinctometer 3000.

[rednesss]

Unfortunately in the relatively claustrophobic Persian Gulf, they make a pretty enticing target for some Sunburn anti-ship missiles.

[epluribus_2]

There’s a plan for that. And a plan for anything that goes sideways with the first plan.

[rednesss]

For the price of considerably less than a fighter plane, the Iranians could send a $5 billion dollar aircraft carrier to the bottom of the gulf with these Russian made Sunburn missiles. Industry analysts say that the Navy has no defense for these small Mach 2+ missiles. Scary stuff.

[alarm rider]

Yeah, I thought of that also. However, should that happen some nasty stuff would be coming down the pike one would imagine. As an AF type, I don’t know much about defenses against anti-ship missiles, but I would bet my garrison cap there are plenty.

God’s speed sailors and Marines.

[Badeye]

(chuckle)

Makes me want to pull out my old cruise book seeing these pics.

[gridlock]

In a confined space like the Persian Gulf, it’s about one minute from launch-to-target for the Sunburn.

These sailors are going to have to be on hair-trigger alert 24/7.

[rednesss]

The problem is that these missiles travel so fast that they estimate a ship to have between 25-30 seconds in order to respond to it. It’s only 56 kilometers wide at the Strait of Hormuz. At Mach 3, which they say the “Mosquito” can travel at, it would take it approximately 1 minute to cross that distance. And they probably have to travel through a shipping channel deep enough somewhere toward the middle.