A commercial satellite image of the Nimitz-class carrier mockup under construction in Iran. Digital Globe Photo
This post was updated from a previous version to include additional quotes from U.S. 5th Fleet.
A mock-up of an American aircraft carrier will be used as a target by Iranian naval forces in an upcoming exercise, the head of the naval branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Sunday in local press reports. Read More
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) during its final pre-deployment evaluations on Dec. 13, 2013. US Navy Photo
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is scheduled to depart for a Middle East and Mediterranean deployment on Saturday as the centerpiece of Carrier Strike Group 2, U.S. Navy Fleet Forces command announced Wednesday. Read More
The following is from the July 16, 2013 Congressional Research Service report on Bahrain. The U.S. has close ties to the country in the Persian Gulf. The Navy’s U.S. 5th Fleet Headquarters is in Bahrain.
The Obama Administration has not called for an end to the Al Khalifa regime, but it has criticized its human rights abuses and urged it to undertake more substantial political reform. The U.S. criticism has angered some Al Khalifa officials but it has also dissatisfied human rights activists who assert that the United States is downplaying regime abuses because of U.S. dependence on the security relationship with Bahrain. Bahrain has provided key support for U.S. interests— particularly the containment of Iran—by hosting U.S. naval headquarters for the Gulf for over 60 years. Read More
