5th Fleet Focus: The Final Puzzle Piece

First it was announced the big stick, specifically the rather large Truman Carrier Strike Group, deploys on Monday. Then it was pointed out those 'extra elements,' specifically a strike group focused around anti-submarine warfare and mine warfare, would be deploying to the Persian Gulf in early 08. Finally, we have the rest of the puzzle also deploying tomorrow, bringing with it those two specific pieces of defense it is only smart to have.

More than 5,500 Marines and sailors are making final preparations this weekend for a Monday departure and deployment to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf, Navy officials said.

The amphibious assault ship Tarawa will lead two other San Diego-based amphibs, the dock landing ship Germantown and the amphibious transport dock Cleveland for the scheduled six-month deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet regions.

En route, the Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group will link up with three ships: the frigate Ingraham, based in Everett, Wash., and the cruiser Port Royal and destroyer Hopper, both based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

No, the US isn't sending Marines into Iran, although I believe the 11th MEU is scheduled to do a few weeks training in Kuwait (this is not new). Rather, I'm talking about the USS Port Royal (CG 73) and the USS Hopper (DDG 70).

You have to have two, not one, in case you didn't know. I'm talking about AEGIS Ballistic missile defense, and how it works. In this case, the USS Hopper (DDG 70) acts as the early warning Long Range Tracking ship while the USS Port Royal (CG 73) would act as an interceptor.

I would consider it highly unlikely that the USS Port Royal (CG 73) would deploy with SM-3s though. First, the Navy simply doesn't have enough SM-3s to spare. Second, that information would probably leak. Finally, there are plenty of Patriot missiles in theater that can act as interceptor, removing the need for SM-3s.

Noteworthy none the less, the Navy is sending 2 AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense ships to the Gulf with the Tarawa ESG. In case you are wondering, the Navy has deployed 1 AEGIS destroyer with BMD LRS&T capability in the last 3 Pacific strike groups, specifically the Nimitz CSG, Stennis CSG, and Bonhomme Richard ESG.

So what is different? This is the first time the Navy is sending one of its BMD cruisers to the Gulf. If you ask the Navy, I'm sure they will quote what the British said about the minesweeper deployment, this is a scheduled deployment, and has nothing to do with Iran...