Seriously? They’d actually send a CV into the Gulf? Isn’t that a little risky given all the anti-ship (Silkworm) missiles lining the Iranian coastline?We transited Hormuz several times on my last cruise on Eisenhower during 2006-07.
Believe it or not, the navy actually gives Iran a courtesy notification when we transit.
Of course they do and it's SOP to have both a CVN and an amphibious assault ship in the Gulf simultaneously. We don't let the threat of what the Iranians might do dictate what we do.
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)
Stennis, Nimitz and Bonhomme Richard Enter the Persian Gulf
During the early stages of OIF there were six amphibious assault ships in the Gulf simultaneously in addition to the big deck carriers.
030420-N-7128D-011 North Arabian Gulf (Apr. 20, 2003) – The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) moves into position as the amphibious assault ships of Commander, Task Force Fifty One (CTF-51) come together in an unprecedented formation during operations in the North Arabian Gulf. This marked the first time that six large deck amphibious ships from the East and West coasts have deployed together in one area of operation. Led by the flag ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1), the ships in the second row from bottom to top are USS Saipan (LHA 2) and USS Kearsarge (LHD 3); and the third row of ships are USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Bataan (LHD 5) and USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). CTF-51 led Navy amphibious forces in the Arabian Gulf region during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 32 ships of CTF-51 composed the largest amphibious force assembled since the Inchon landing, during the Korean War. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Tom Daily. (RELEASED)
Watch Carrier on PBS tonight and you'll see the Nimitz operating in the Persian Gulf.