Three U.S. Aircraft Carriers Headed For The Middle East And Europe

Forbes explained what's going on.

The U.S. Navy continues to build up its presence in Europe and the Middle East amid escalating relations with Iran. Two Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are now on the way, and another could arrive in the region soon, writes Forbes.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), which left its home port in San Diego in late November and operated in the South China Sea, was diverted to the Middle East last week. It comes as part of a broader reinforcement of U.S. military forces after President Donald Trump ordered the preparation of assets for possible strikes against Iran if the violent crackdown on protesters continues.

An additional Nimitz-class aircraft carrier was spotted in the western Pacific on Tuesday, passing through the Strait of Malacca. Its strike group will cross the Indian Ocean and, according to estimates, could arrive in the Arabian Sea or Persian Gulf as early as early next week.

In addition to the aircraft carriers, the Pentagon has also redeployed F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets. The planes were redeployed from Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath in the UK to US airbases in Jordan.

The second aircraft carrier has set course for Europe

In the meantime, the USS George HW Bush (CVN-77), the newest and last Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, has left Norfolk Naval Base and is now operating in the Atlantic Ocean, bound for Europe. The destination has not been officially disclosed, but analysts speculate that the ship may be deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, from where it is capable of sailing through the Suez Canal toward the Middle East if necessary.

The carrier's official Facebook page reported qualification flights and live firing.

"We are constantly improving our skills to be ready for what lies ahead," the statement said.

"Avenger" with combat experience

USS George HW Bush has the call sign Avenger - in honor of the Grumman TBM Avenger torpedo carrier that future President George HW Bush Sr flew during World War II. It is the only U.S. aircraft carrier named after a president who was a naval aviator.

The ship was officially christened on October 7, 2006, and transferred to the Navy in May 2009. It has previously participated in combat operations in the Middle East. In particular, in 2014, from its board it carried out strikes against ISIS positions in Iraq and Syria.

Technical features and curiosities

CVN-77 has a length of 333 meters and displacement of more than 100 thousand tons, which makes it one of the largest warships in the world. It features a modernized bow design, reduced radar visibility of the flight deck, and a more compact "island" shifted aft.

The aircraft carrier has a less heroic feature, however: it was previously reported that the ship's vacuum toilet system is prone to clogs, which once caused all the bathrooms to fail at once.

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail [email protected]