Russian Intelligence Sees U.S. Military Buildup on Iran Border
29/03/08
MOSCOW - Russian military intelligence services are reporting a flurry of activity by U.S. Armed Forces near Iran's borders, a high-ranking security source said Tuesday.
"The latest military intelligence data point to heightened U.S. military preparations for both an air and ground operation against Iran," the official said, adding that the Pentagon has probably not yet made a final decision as to when an attack will be launched. He said the Pentagon is looking for a way to deliver a strike against Iran "that would enable the Americans to bring the country to its knees at minimal cost."
He also said the U.S. Naval presence in the Persian Gulf has for the first time in the past four years reached the level that existed shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Col.-Gen. Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said last week that the Pentagon is planning to deliver a massive air strike on Iran's military infrastructure in the near future.
A new U.S. carrier battle group has been dispatched to the Gulf. The USS John C. Stennis, with a crew of 3,200 and around 80 fixed-wing aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornet and Superhornet fighter-bombers, eight support ships and four nuclear submarines are heading for the Gulf, where a similar group led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has been deployed since December 2006. The U.S. is also sending Patriot anti-missile systems to the region.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19640.htm
~~~Navy.mil~~~3-27-08~~~
Ships and Submarines
Deployable Battle Force Ships: 280
Ships Underway (away from homeport): 141 ships (50% of total)
On deployment: 105 ships (38% of total)
Attack submarines underway (away from homeport): 33 submarines (61%)
On deployment: 19 submarines (35%)
Ships Underway
Carriers:
USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) - Pacific Ocean
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - Philippine Sea
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - Pacific Ocean
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) - Pacific Ocean
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) - 5th Fleet
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) - Pacific Ocean
Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Nassau (LHA 4) - Mediterranean Sea
USS Peleliu (LHA 5) - Pacific Ocean
USS Boxer (LHD 4) - Pacific Ocean
Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group:
USS Tarawa (LHA 1) - 5th Fleet
IIRC : The Ike is in home-port now,,,
Those PAT-3 batteries(4) deployed late in 2006,,,
I would think the crews have been rotated by now,,,