And those docking craft are a liability short of a landing.
In fact 3 Destroyers is a very short squadron, 9 is a full squadron. This needs to be watched very carefully.
There about 30 Los Angeles class attack subs that are equipped with 12 vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk cruise missle. With this group I count only 3 subs.
{b]What would be alarming is another 2 carrier groups, & 4,5,6 or more subs. The key here is too keep an eye on the other carriers and subs to see if they show up in the Arabian sea, anytime soon. Short of a buildup as I have described, this is really kind of normal looking.
From my previous compilation:
15th & 24th Marine Expeditionary Units on the moveStrike group sails from San Diego Sept. 13th for the Western Pacific. Includes 15th Marine Expeditionary UnitESG 5 is comprised of Howard, USS Boxer (LHD 4), USS Dubuque (LPD 8), USS Comstock (LSD 45), USS Benfold (DDG 65) and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52). The strike group also includes Amphibious Squadron 5, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WHEC 726) and Canadian Frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341).
http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,114365,00.htmlMarines hit the beaches of Kuwait for training
By Jennifer H. Svan, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Monday, October 2, 2006
Marines and sailors deployed with the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group came ashore on a Kuwait beach Sunday to begin about a month of training in the country. The group includes Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and sailors from Beach Master Unit 2 at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Little Creek, Va. The strike group is on a six-month deployment.
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=40467You see... another carrier group should be place by the 21st. WE are talking about more than a few Tomahawks.
USS Eisenhower to deploy to Mideast The aircraft carrier battle group is scheduled to sail Tuesday from Norfolk to relieve the USS Enterprise. <snip> The Enterprise left Norfolk on May 2, along with the cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, the destroyer USS McFaul, the frigate USS Nicholas and the attack submarine USS Alexandria.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-38837sy0sep28,0,6555714.story?coll=dp-news-local-final The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group also includes
-guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio-CG-68 :
Armament: MK26 missile launcher (CG 47 thru CG 51) Standard Missile (MR) or MK41 vertical launching system (CG 52 thru CG 73) Standard Missile (MR); Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA) Missile;
Tomahawk Cruise Missile; Six MK-46 torpedoes (from two triple mounts); Two MK 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight guns; Two Phalanx close-in-weapons systems.
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=800&ct=4 -guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage-DDG-61 Armament: two MK 41 VLS for Standard missiles,
Tomahawk; Harpoon missile launchers, one Mk 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight gun, two Phalanx CIWS, Mk 46 torpedoes (from two triple tube mounts)
http://www.navysite.de/dd/ddg61.htm ARLEIGH BURKE - class Guided Missile Destroyer USS Mason-DDG-87 Armament 1 x 5"/62 RF,
Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), 90 VLS Cells,
2 SH-60B helicopters, 8 Harpoon Missiles, 6 x 12.75" TT.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/01087.htm Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Newport News-SSN-750 Carries Tomahawks:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/ssn-750.htm The Enterprise carrier group has been in the area for a while: Enterprise, the flagship of Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12, and Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, along with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, will conduct maritime security operations and fly missions in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom as part of U.S. Fifth Fleet while in the region.
http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=5355276&nav=ZolHbyvj The Enterprise Carrier Strike Group also includes: -guided missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf-CG-55 Armament: MK26 missile launcher (CG 47 thru CG 51) Standard Missile (MR) or MK41 vertical launching system (CG 52 thru CG 73) Standard Missile (MR); Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA) Missile; Tomahawk Cruise Missile; Six MK-46 torpedoes (from two triple mounts); Two MK 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight guns; Two Phalanx close-in-weapons systems.
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=800&ct=4 ARLEIGH BURKE - class Guided Missile Destroyer USS McFaul-DDG-74 Armament 1 x 5"/62 RF, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), 90 VLS Cells,
2 SH-60B helicopters, 8 Harpoon Missiles, 6 x 12.75" TT.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/01087.htm the frigate USS Nicholas-FFG-47 Armament: one Mk 75 76mm/62 caliber rapid firing gun, MK 32 ASW torpedo tubes (two triple mounts), one Phalanx CIWS
http://navysite.de/ffg/FFG47.HTM Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Alexandria-SSN-757 Any boat of this class may launch a Tomahawk cruise missile from its horizontal torpedo tubes. The last 31 boats of this class also have 12 vertical launch tubes specifically for the purpose of launching Tomahawks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_class_submarine The Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is a short range missile intended to provide self-protection for surface ships.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/rim-162.htm The Harpoon missile provides the Navy and the Air Force with a common missile for air, ship, and submarine launches. The weapon system uses mid-course guidance with a radar seeker to attack surface ships.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/agm-84.htm Tactical Tomahawk Penetrator Variant missile On 27 May 1999 Raytheon was awarded a $25,829,379 undefinitized cost-plus-incentive-fee/cost-plus-fixed-fee, ceiling amount contract for the modification of the Tactical Tomahawk missile to the Tactical Tomahawk Penetrator Variant configuration as part of the Second Counter-Proliferation Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration. The Tactical Tomahawk missile will be modified to incorporate the government-furnished penetrator warhead and the hard-target smart fuze. Four Tactical Tomahawk Penetrator Variant missiles will be assembled to conduct the advanced concept technology demonstration testing. Work will be performed in Tucson AZ and is expected to be completed by March 2003.
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/smart/bgm-109.htmThere is some info being copied all over the net, that the Eisenhower (CVN 69) is a
nuclear battleship, which I have never heard of, ever. As you can see from this picture
posted @ navy times, the Eisenhower is indeed a carrier.
Families and friends watch on the pier at Norfolk Naval Station, Va., as the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) gets underway on Tuesday. — Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Glassburn / U.S. Navy
NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD, Va. — The Norfolk-based aircraft carrier George Washington entered the dry dock at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., on Sept. 29, the first step in a $300 million availability that will prepare the ship to replace the Yokosuka, Japan-based Kitty Hawk in 2008.
http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2146364.phpUSS George WashingtonCVN-73
Rear Adm. (lower half) Scott H. Swift has been assigned to the post at U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command, in Bahrain. Swift commanded Carrier Air Wing 14, which is assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln.
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=40502.. as deputy commander, U.S. Naval Forces, U.S. Central Command, Bahrain. Swift is currently serving as deputy executive officer for Naval Aviation and Tactical Air Systems, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/Release.aspx?Releas... SOooo.....Adm. Swift worked for Sec Def Rumsfeld.
I now feel a little stronger about the move to Swift @ CenT COm in Bahrain. In Essense it seems Rumsfeld has put one of his men into an important position, after a promotion earlier this year. And we all know the kind of officers that get promoted under SEC dEF Rummy.
On edit:
Adm. Swift is also President of the TAILHOOK officers ASsociation:
PRESIDENT CAPT SCOTT H. SWIFT,USN
Source: SDSU, AVROC 1979
Designation: Naval Aviator, 1980
Assignments: VA-94 (Nugget), VA-122 (Instructor), CVW-11 (CAG LSO), VA-97 (Department Head), Naval War College (Honors in Athletics), Strike Fighter Weapons School, Pacific (CO), VFA-97 (CO), OPNAV (Hornet Requirements), VFA-122 (CO), CVW-14 (CAG)
Hours/Traps: 4,000+/1,000+
Residence: Falls Church, Va.
Present Empl: Office of Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics/Air Warfare)
Other: 1989 U.S. Pacific Fleet Landing Signal Officer of the Year, 1992 Commander Michael G. Hoff, U.S. Pacific Fleet Attack Aviator of the Year, Participated in Operation Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom
http://www.tailhook.org/Officers.html What may be important about this promotion is that it puts an expert in carrier ops, on the ground @ COmCent. If I was about to ramp up carrier air ops, I would want an experienced air ops guy on the ground. That would be Admiral Swift.
Iranian Nuke sites from:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/iran/nuke-fac.htmBunker Busters
This is the the GBU-28 or the BLU-113, is 19 feet (5.8 meters). It weighs about 4,400 pounds. The GBU-27/GBU-24 (aka BLU-109) is nearly identical to the GBU-28, except that it weighs only 2,000 pounds (900 kg). It is less expensive to manufacture, and a bomber can carry more of them on each mission.
Air-to-air view of GBU-28 hard target bomb on an F-15E Eagle.
The MOAB weapon is based upon the same principle as the BLU-82 “Daisy Cutter”, except that it is larger and has a guidance system. The weapon is expected to produce a tremendous explosion that would be effective against hard-target entrances. From :
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/moab.htm