It truly is an awesome sight when two United States Navy aircraft super carriers are in the ocean side by side. Representing enough firepower to fight an independent conflict on their own they are often the first line of defense against foreign enemies.
The USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS John C. Stennis, two of the ten nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft supercarriers that the Navy has at sea have arrived in the Persian Gulf as tensions with Iran continue to rise.
The Lincoln is in the Gulf to replace the USS John C. Stennis to deploy in the waters with the USS Carl Vinson. The Iranians have always known that America keeps a significant amount of firepower right off their shores but seeing three United States Super Carriers is enough to make anyone nervous.
The Lincoln and the Vinson are the centerpieces of two United States Navy Carrier Strike Groups stationed in the Persian Gulf. The Strike groups contain (according to Wikipedia),
- A supercarrier, which is the centerpiece of the strike group and also serves as the flagship for the CSG Commander and his/her staff. The carrier is commanded by aviation community captain.
- A carrier air wing typically consisting of up to nine squadrons. Carrier air wings are commanded by an aviation community captain (or occasionally a Marinecolonel).
- One to two Aegisguided missile cruisers, of the Ticonderoga class—a multi-mission surface combatant, equipped with BGM-109 Tomahawkmissiles for long-range strike capability, each commanded by a surface community captain.
- A destroyer squadron (DESRON) commanded by a surface community captain who commands the escort destroyers, with two to three guided missile destroyers, of the Arleigh Burke class—a multi-mission surface combatant, used primarily for anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare, but which also carries Tomahawk missiles for long-range strike capability. A destroyer is commanded by a surface community commander.
- Up to two attack submarines, usually of the Los Angeles -class used to screen the strike group against hostile surface ships and submarines, but which also carry Tomahawk missiles for long-range strike capability.
- A combined ammunition, oiler and supply ship
This is all in response to the Iranians pledge to close the strategic Straits of Hormuz, through which a full 1/5 of the world’s oil supply transverses in retaliation for US and European sanctions against their central bank.
Do you think this United States show of force is enough to scare Iran?
