Nimitz battle group deploys

March 03, 2003 ^ | Seth Hettena

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

SAN DIEGO — The assignment of the carrier Nimitz and its battle group to the Persian Gulf means the U.S. military soon will have an unprecedented floating air force within striking distance of Iraq.

The Nimitz will leave San Diego with its eight-ship battle group and 8,000 sailors and airmen Monday. It is expected to take at least a month to reach the Gulf, where it will join five other carrier battle groups operating in the area, although the Nimitz may replace one of them, the carrier Abraham Lincoln.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Godspeed, Nimitz. Time to take care of business.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Oops, the source is Navy Times, not "March 03, 2003".

[csmusaret]

Someone please give me a brief description of what a destroyer is and does and what a cruiser is and does.

[The Iguana]

Great picture.

[RightWhale]

what a destroyer is

Destroyers watch out for enemy subs and other weapons and destroy them.

[TheLooseThread]

Simple description is destroyers give anti-submarine support and cruisers give anti-air (via missle) support of the carriers.

[Per-Ling]

Ship movement is classified...

I remember when that was taken seriously...

[TheLooseThread]

Of course the reason we need six carrier groups is because our friends and allies the saudis are neither our friends or our allies.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Check out: Cruiser Fact File

Destroyer Fact File

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Same goes for Turkey, too.

[GallopingGhost]

While the Destroyers and Cruisers are for carrier protection for the most part, the role they will play in the Gulf is to launch Tomahawk missiles at targets in Iraq. Figure there are at least 20 ships in the Gulf that can launch guided missiles and that is quite a punch.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I like that pic, too. You can download a hi-rez one HERE.

[Fractal Trader]

My calculations: Approximately 10,000 nautical miles, maximum cruise speed (including convoy) of an optimistic 25 knots: 400 hours, or approximately 17 days. Therefore, convoy, and bombardment of Iraq, cannot begin before March 20th.

Any other Freeper want to publish their estimates?

[DoughtyOne]

Taken about three weeks ago at Coronado Island naval base.  Shooting location was Seaport Village across the bay.

[CasearianDaoist]

Our modern cruisers and destroyers are so flexible that the difference is really one of the size of the respective platforms. Our newest destroyers are more powerful that most cuisers (except the Russian "Battle Cruiser.") In fact we haven't turned out a new cruiser for some time.

[annyokie]

Thanks! My Nimitz pic vaporized when I went to post it for all to see. Go Navy!

[Severa]

Yeah I know what you mean. I live in VA Beach and was soooo pissed this past December when they announced a week in advance the homecoming of the USS George Washington.

The 'ship movement is classified' still seems to hold true in the submarine force at least (hubby is an STS3(SS) on a Norfolk based fast attack sub).

[Keeper of the Turf]

I don't think we have to wait till the Nimitz arrives to start the liberation. There is plenty of firepower in the region already.

[Toidylop]

DoughtyOne -- I believed it's the Naval Air Station North Island base. Not Coronado Island Naval Base.

[uncbob]

“They are working the carriers to death,” said Patrick Garrett, a defense analyst with Globalsecurity.org, a research organization. The collection of forces increases the pressure to order a strike. “They’ve got all this equipment sitting out there, which is not just stressful on the equipment but it’s stressful on families,” Garrett said.

He is 100% correct
Bush better get this on before everything not just the carriers degenerates

[csmusaret]

Thanks- very informative.

[GOPyouth]

During break from class over in Old Town this morning I could see the Nimitz leaving the harbor from the hills. Cool sight to see. I missed the Constellation when she deployed last fall.

[uncbob]

The assignment of the carrier Nimitz and its battle group to the Persian Gulf means the U.S. military soon will have an unprecedented floating air force within striking distance of Iraq.

Or maybe Korea ?

[Bosco]

Or maybe Korea ?

My thoughts exactly.

[maxwellp]

Go with God, sailors and airmen, and come home safely to America. God Bless you and thank you!

[DoughtyOne]

Thank you for the correction. I know nothing of the official names for this or any other base that might be on the island. I simply figured being the Coronado Island that this would be the name. I like folks being alerted to the proper name.

[DoughtyOne]

Oh sorry to hear that. You're welcome to take mine home. Glad you enjoyed it. I have several if you'd like copies.

[annyokie]

Yes, I would. My eldest son is a SeaBee (Port Hueneme) and due to ship out to Guam at last report. Thank you!

[annyokie]

Close enough. North Island NAS is on Coranado Island.