Irans double-edged oil weapon Dec 2, 2007
With the USS Enterprise carrier battle group already in the region and Navy minesweepers and other support vessels ready for quick deployment Cordesman estimates a full Iranian blockade could not last more than two weeks. Slide show. (MSNBC -- International)
China denies 3rd U.S. ship port call Dec 1, 2007
The rejection occurred last week, at the same time China refused to allow the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier battle group into Hong Kong for a Thanksgiving holiday port call. A U.S. Air Force C-17 flight that had been scheduled for a routine resupply of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong also was denied permission to enter, Navy officials said. (CNN -- International)
China blames U.S. for denial of ship visit to Hong Kong Nov 30, 2007
China blocked the visit of a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group and other American warships to Hong Kong last week in retaliation for the Bush administration's proposed upgrading of Taiwan's Patriot antimissile batteries, the state media reported Thursday. Beijing also denied that Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had told President George W. Bush in a meeting Wednesday that the canceled ship visits were a "misunderstanding," as the White House had reported after the talks. (International Herald Tribune)
After snub by China, U.S. carrier heads home Nov 24, 2007
TOKYO Thousands of sailors aboard the USS Kitty Hawk and its carrier battle group had to mark the Thanksgiving holiday at sea after they were denied entry to Hong Kong for a port call that had been planned months in advance, U.S. Navy officials said Friday. The last-minute decision by China to bar the visit was highly unusual. (Honolulu Advertiser)
China closes port to Navy ship Nov 24, 2007
Stephen W. Rowe / U.S. Navy via AP fileThousands of sailors aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, shown in a filephoto,and its carrier battle group had to mark the Thanksgiving holiday at sea ... TOKYO - Thousands of sailors aboard the USS Kitty Hawk and its carrier battle group had to mark the Thanksgiving holiday at sea after they were denied entry to Hong Kong for a port call that had been planned months in advance, U.S. Navy officials said Friday. (MSNBC -- Terrorism)
After snub by China, U.S. carrier battle group sails home Nov 23, 2007
TOKYO Thousands of sailors aboard the USS Kitty Hawk and its carrier battle group had to mark the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday at sea after they were denied entry to Hong Kong for a port call that had been planned months in advance, navy officials said Friday. China turned the ships away when they neared the port for the planned four-day stop. (Globe and Mail -- International)
Lebanon Passes on Elections Again Nov 22, 2007
Dr. Walid Phares, a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington, called yesterday on the United States to dispatch an aircraft carrier battle group to the Lebanese coast to deter an attack by Syrian or Iranian-backed forces ... Dr. Phares said that the United States should send a carrier battle group to the eastern Mediterranean that could balance the weight of the Iranian Pasdaran and their missiles deployed in Lebanon, so that Tehran and Damascus aren't the... (Newsmax)
The Arduous Task of Leaving Iraq Oct 4, 2007
The new lineup would include a carrier battle group and a Marine expeditionary force in the Persian Gulf. Bases in Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates would be maintained. (Newsmax)
President Bush Attends Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in Honor of General Peter Pace and Armed Forces Hail in Honor of Admiral Michael Mullen Oct 2, 2007
The Admiral has commanded three ships, an aircraft carrier battle group, and the U.S. Second Fleet. He served as the commander of all U.S. naval forces in Europe and the NATO Joint Force Command. (White House News Releases)
* Michael Mullen to chair Joint Chiefs Oct 1, 2007
A Los Angeles native, he graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1968, served in Vietnam, commanded surface warships and a carrier battle group, and found time to study management at Harvard Business School. He brings to the job little of the political baggage that hampered Pace, whose six year tenure as chairman and vice chairman spanned the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
A bipartisan way out of Iraq Sep 26, 2007
My military service as a three-star vice admiral having led an aircraft carrier battle group in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and served as director of the Navy's anti-terrorism unit convinces me that an inconclusive, open-ended involvement in Iraq is not in our security interests. Ending this war is necessary. (Christian Science Monitor)
Security overload? Sep 7, 2007
We will not only need the tanks but will have to call in artillery, air-strikes and maybe park an entire carrier battle group on George Street. So thess necessary "security measures" totally vindicates the perfectly reasonable action by the Chinese government in Tinanmen Square, Statistically at least. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Another tiresome spin on Peter's whirligig Aug 18, 2007
Homer Gelbfahrt, a military analyst with the American Centre for Aggression, a conservative Washington think-tank, suggests the strike would likely involve cruise missiles fired from a US navy carrier battle group. These are smart weapons capable of targeting just one classroom, he says. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Allies Fear U.S. Stance On Iran Aug 16, 2007
" That would block the elite unit's assets and pressure foreign companies doing business with it. Allies are less concerned about that step than they are about the new momentum. "If the region is strewn with crises, then there's potential for real disaster. There's a fear that they will all merge into a superemergency bigger than any one country can deal with," a top Arab envoy said. Language on Wednesday triggered further alarm, with State Department spokesman Sean McCormack saying, "We are... (Tampa Bay Online, FL -- News)
China: Shanghai Surprise Aug 3, 2007
Chen Yung-Kang, head of the Taiwan Defense Ministry's Integration Evaluation Office, said last November that China is building its own aircraft carrier and plans to launch its first carrier battle group by 2020. "The aircraft carrier under construction is modeled on the Varyag and will be equipped with the J-11 warplanes (that are) a copy of the Russian Sukhoi Su-27," Chen said. (Investors Business Daily)
Rice and Gates Push Anti-Iran Agenda Aug 3, 2007
It also moved a second aircraft carrier battle group into the Persian Gulf. Elsewhere, Washington is proceeding with plans to rearm Lebanon's Army and the security forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas actions aimed at stemming Iran's growing clout and bolstering moderates. (U.S. News & World Report)
White House calls meeting on al Qaeda threat... Jul 11, 2007
Right now as we speak Syria has invaded 3 km inside Lebonon, Hamas has taken over Gaza, Hizbullah is rearming, Iran is funneling troops and arms into Iraq and Afganistian, Jihadists are inciting civil war in Pakistian, Al qaeda is releasing tape after tape and rearming, the Taliban is holding "graduation ceremonies" for suicide death teams to infiltrate the USA and West, the French are calling Hizbullah terrorists for the first time, The USA is sending a 4th carrier battle group to the gulf, the... (The Drudge Report)
Remarks by President Bush in Nomination of Admiral Michael Mullen and General James Cartwright to Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Jun 29, 2007
He has commanded three ships, a cruiser-destroyer group, and an aircraft carrier battle group. He served as commander of NATO's Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy, with responsibility for Alliance missions in the Balkans, Iraq, and Mediterranean. (PR Newswire)
Military: Navy change of command is class act Jun 24, 2007
Zortman, 55, went on to command an attack squadron aboard the carriers Carl Vinson and Kitty Hawk, a carrier air wing aboard the Enterprise, and the John C. Stennis carrier battle group during the war with Afghanistan. He took command of Naval Air Forces in August 2004. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Australia splashes out on defence Jun 20, 2007
Almost 28,000 US and Australian troops this week began a major exercise across Australia's northern coastline involving an aircraft carrier battle group, tanks and nuclear submarines. Source: Reuters. (TVNZ)
Australia to spend billions on navy Jun 20, 2007
Almost 28,000 U.S. and Australian troops this week began a major exercise across Australia's northern coastline involving an aircraft carrier battle group, tanks and nuclear submarines. Canberra has around 1,500 troops in and around Iraq as part of the U.S.-led coalition, as well as a special forces task group in Afghanistan and peacekeepers in East Timor. (Globe and Mail)
Australia hosts theatre of war Jun 13, 2007
A record 27,500 American and Australian troops, along with a carrier battle group, 30 ships, two nuclear submarines and more than 100 aircraft, are gathering in Queensland for a massive military exercise. Exercise Talisman Sabre, which will see troops in land, sea and air operations, has already attracted the ire of peace and environmental activists. (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
US forces joining war games in Qld Jun 11, 2007
Likely US forces taking part will be 10 ships, including a carrier battle group, 100 aircraft and 20,000 personnel. The force preparation and deployment stage runs from June 11-18 with the exercise itself running from June 19 to July 2. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Joint chiefs nominee wants to win 'hearts and minds' Jun 11, 2007
In his Navy career, he has commanded three ships, including two guided missile destroyers and an aircraft carrier battle group. He has been chief of naval operations since July 2005. (CNN -- US)
Inside the Ring (Bill Gertz) Jun 2, 2007
Tim Keating, the U.S. Pacific Command leader, told reporters during his visit to China last month that while building and operating a carrier battle group is complex, the United States is willing to help ... The first of the 12 restrictions outlined in a 2000 defense authorization law bars all military exchanges with China that might enhance "force projection operations" of which aircraft carrier battle groups are the most visible. (Washington Times, DC)
Hospital ship 'Comfort' preps for goodwill mission May 31, 2007
"I think I'm working harder for this deployment than I did when I was operations officer for an aircraft carrier battle group," said U.S. Navy Capt. Robert E. Kapcio, who is leading the ship's deployment. "Really, it's just a huge, huge undertaking.". (SunSpot.net)
Pacific Fleet gets former Top Gun pilot as commander May 10, 2007
More recently, the Los Angeles native has commanded the U.S. Seventh Fleet from Japan and directed an aircraft carrier battle group from the USS Kitty Hawk. Willard succeeds Adm. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
Pacific security called key for Asia May 7, 2007
" He also singled out work done by the Navy in working with Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to support their efforts to police the Malacca Straits, an area through which nearly half of the world's oil and more than a third of global trade passes. With help from the United States, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia worked together and manned ship and air patrols. They agreed to exchange information to drive down the risk of piracy, Roughead said. Roughead, a 1973 Naval Academy graduate, moved to... (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Navy Announces Christening of Submarine North Carolina Apr 19, 2007
With enhanced communications connectivity, the submarine also will provide important battle group and joint task force support, with full integration into carrier battle group operations. Cmdr. (DOD DefenseLINK -- News)
New reports indicate Tehran close to enriching weapons-grade uranium Apr 10, 2007
the USS Nimitz carrier battle group left San Diego April 2 and is headed to the Persian Gulf ... The Nimitz will join the USS Stennis in a continued two-carrier battle group presence in the Gulf. (WorldNetDaily)
Europe's world role 30/03/07 Apr 3, 2007
Diplomacy backed by economic and military power (we have 2 nuclear powers in europe, we are not weak) is surely a better solution than a carrier battle group. Jim, Southern France. (BBC News -- Europe)
Washington finds increasing resistance amid show of force Mar 30, 2007
In recent weeks, the U.S. has sent a second carrier battle group into the Persian Gulf. The USS John C. Stennis, along with several accompanying ships, has joined the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier group in the Gulf. (WorldNetDaily)
Russian intelligence sees U.S. military buildup on Iran border... Mar 29, 2007
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 Drudge Report)
GULF CRISIS -- HOW U.S. CARRIERS CAN HELP Mar 28, 2007
March 28, 2007 -- YESTERDAY, a second U.S. carrier battle group, centered on USS Stennis, joined the Eisenhower battle group in the Gulf off Iran for what were described as dual-strike exercises - in other words, to show that the two carriers could strike ground targets together. The second carrier's mission was announced in January, well before the current Iran crisis. (New York Post -- Opinions)
Keating takes over military in Pacific Mar 28, 2007
In the Pacific, Keating commanded an aircraft carrier battle group from Yokosuka, Japan. He served at Camp Smith in the 1980s when he was an aide to the Pacific commander at the time, Adm. (Anchorage Daily News)
Q&A: the seized British sailors Mar 23, 2007
British ships are working with a US naval force that has recently expanded with the arrival of a second aircraft carrier battle group, led by USS Stennis. The ships are engaged in routine patrols such as the one that took place today. (Guardian Unlimited -- UK)
Vets boost Democrats' Iraq exit efforts Mar 21, 2007
a retired Navy admiral who commanded an aircraft carrier battle group during the invasion of Afghanistan, appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" to counter GOP accusations that Democrats were trying to micromanage the war. "These guys have been invaluable," said Rep. (Los Angeles Times)
Pearl Harbor may lose Roughead to Virginia Mar 21, 2007
Willard, also a 1973 Navy Academy graduate, is a F-14 naval aviator who has commanded an aircraft carrier battle group from the USS Kitty Hawk ... Career highlights: First surface warfare officer to command both an Aegis-class destroyer, the USS Barry, and the Pearl Harbor-based Aegis-class cruiser USS Port Royal in 1996-97; served as commandant of the U.S. Naval Academy from August 1997 to April 2000; headed the Cruiser Destroyer Group Two while serving as the USS George Washington Carrier... (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
U.S. Carrier Group in the Persian Gulf for Intel, Not Threat Mar 17, 2007
Last January, President George W. Bush announced he would order the aircraft carrier battle group USS John C. Stennis to join the USS Dwight Eisenhower group to "patrol" the Persian Gulf region. The Stennis arrived on station late last month. (Newsmax)
Navy Loses Signal, Thought Sub Had Sunk Mar 15, 2007
A carrier battle group was operating with three submarines 100 miles off the coast of Florida when a lookout reported spotting a red flare the traditional signal for a sub in distress, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. The battle group immediately tried to establish communications with all three subs. (CBS News)
China's military ambition set to soar into orbit Mar 9, 2007
This follows earlier statements of People's Liberation Army interest in building a carrier battle group, and decades of design study going back to the purchase of the old HMAS Melbourne by a Chinese scrapyard. Naval versions of Russian fighters have been ordered. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Klare: W's Future Iran Speech Mar 1, 2007
In response to such a possibility, the President declared, "We're also taking other steps to bolster the security of Iraq and protect American interests in the Middle East." These included deploying a second U.S. aircraft carrier battle group to the Gulf region, consisting of the USS John C. Stennis and a flotilla of cruisers, destroyers, and submarines (presumably to provide additional air and missile assets for strikes on Iran), along with additional Patriot anti-missile batteries (presumably... (Zmag.org)
Joe Courtney Dives Into Fight For Submarines Feb 26, 2007
Eric Wertheim, editor of Combat Fleets of the World, said a recent incident in which a Chinese submarine surfaced close to a U.S. carrier battle group may have been a sign that America is losing its submarine warfare edge. He speculated that putting too much focus on a war against terrorists will leave the country vulnerable to a conventional war of the future. (FOX61, CT)
Gulf states, wary of Iran, add to their arsenals Feb 24, 2007
The United States has also begun a significant expansion of forces in the Gulf, with a second U.S. aircraft carrier battle group led by the John C. Stennis now in the Gulf, with mine-sweeping ships. Military officials from throughout the region descended this week on the IDEX military trade fair, a semiannual trade fair that has become the region's largest arms market, drawing nearly 900 weapons makers from around the world. (International Herald Tribune)
Does the neocon parrot have a pulse? Feb 23, 2007
As the Pentagon moved a second aircraft carrier battle group into position in the Persian Gulf - the biggest deployment of US firepower since the invasion of Iraq was launched in 2003 - Fukuyama says he accepts that the Bush Administration is sincere in saying that it is not actively planning a military strike on Iran. "I take them at their word, but the problem is Israel. Israel is in near panic and two-thirds of Israelis think they are under existential threat from Iranian nuclear bombs. "They... (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Arab States, Wary of Iran, Add to Their Arsenals but Still Lean on the U.S. Feb 23, 2007
The United States, too, has begun a significant expansion of forces in the gulf, with a second United States aircraft carrier battle group led by the John C. Stennis now in the Persian Gulf and with minesweeping ships. The expansion has helped calm fears among gulf governments that the United States could pull out of the region in the future, even as it has raised concerns about a potential American confrontation with Iran, accidental or intentional. (The Ledger)
Remarks by the Vice President to the Australian-American Leadership Dialogue Feb 23, 2007
I always recall -- looking down out of the hotel on Sydney Harbor this morning -- the events 15 years ago when we marked the 50th anniversary of the Coral Sea Battle, and I came down as Secretary of Defense and brought an aircraft carrier battle group with me. The Independence was docked here in the harbor for some time. (PR Newswire)
What next for Iran?New deadline, new tensions as US steps up the pressure Feb 21, 2007
Meanwhile, the US continues to apply pressure on Iran and is expected to move a second aircraft carrier battle group into the Gulf region soon. US Vice-President Dick Cheney said in Newsweek magazine that American allies in the region "want us to have a major presence there" and that the carriers would send " a strong signal" that the US would "work with friends and allies to oppose the Iranian threat". (BBC News)
U.S. Military Has Completed Iran Target List Feb 20, 2007
The Iranian moves come as the Pentagon has moved a third aircraft carrier battle group into the Persian Gulf. The moves by Washington are said to be in relation to President Bush's announced intention for a military force surge to improve "security" in Iraq. (Newsmax)
Wars deplete training, gear of U.S. troops, officers say Feb 18, 2007
Freshman House Democrat Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania, a retired three-star Navy admiral who commanded a carrier battle group in the Persian Gulf and worked as a strategic planner for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the "tragedy" of the Iraq war is "the real strategic impact on our Army that for so many years has prided itself on its ability to respond rapidly to any contingency.". Political issue or not, the erosion of American combat power is so severe that some senior officers are refusing to... (SunSpot.net)
War with Iran? Feb 14, 2007
We've already got one carrier battle group there and now we're going to put in another one, which will add a huge footprint. When you have, on both sides, 19-year-olds manning weapons, it's a formula for an accident that could spin out of control. (Harper's Magazine)
House debating rebuke to Bush war policy Feb 14, 2007
Representative Joe Sestak, a Pennsylvania Democrat , brought to the debate the credentials of a retired admiral who commanded an aircraft carrier battle group in Iraq. He condemned "the continuing use of our national treasure in what is an inconclusive, open-ended involvement within a country where the long-term benefits do not match what we need to reap.". (Boston Globe)
Parties pull their vets out front for debate Feb 14, 2007
Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania, a former three-star admiral whose aircraft carrier battle group conducted operations in the Afghan and Iraqi conflicts. Sestak questioned "the continuing use of our national treasure in what is an inconclusive, open-ended involvement." Dingell was more blunt, saying that the debate over Iraq boils down to whether "there will be more deaths if we leave or more deaths if we stay.". (USA Today)
* John Tkacik on Taiwan: The best defense is a good offense Feb 14, 2007
The stealthiness of these vessels was proven last October when a Chinese Type-039A "Song" class submarine from the South Sea Fleet's 32nd Submarine Squadron lay waiting in Japanese waters for the arrival of the USS Kitty Hawk carrier battle group ... If an entire US carrier battle group can be traumatized by the appearance in its midst of a single advanced, stealthy, armed and dangerous Chinese submarine, Taiwan's seaports and naval bases are even more vulnerable. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
U.S.-Iran tensions stir fears in Iraq Feb 12, 2007
The U.S. also moved a second aircraft carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf and positioned more Patriot anti-missile batteries in the region. On Jan. 20, militants kidnapped and killed four American soldiers in an ambush at a U.S. military base in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala. (FOX59, IN)
Gates insists US won't attack Iran Feb 11, 2007
Warnings of new sanctions if Tehran does not suspend its nuclear enrichment program, the dispatch of a second carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf, presidential authorization to treat Iranian intelligence and paramilitary operatives in Iraq as "enemy combatants," and encouragement of Sunni Arab states to take a united stand against Iranian aggression are all designed to convince Tehran that "we have options" and are prepared to use them, a senior administration official said. "We're a power,... (Boston Globe)
Iran Test-Fires Russian Missiles in Strait of Hormuz Feb 8, 2007
As tensions rise over Iran's nuclear standoff with the West, the United States and Iran have pursued an escalating series of military moves, with Washington sending a second aircraft carrier battle group to the region and Iran responding with more frequent maneuvers. The Revolutionary Guards' began the games Wednesday in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, which flank the strait, through which some 20 percent of the world's oil transits daily. (Newsmax)
Iran's weakened hard-liners crave a US attack Feb 6, 2007
STANFORD, CALIF. - From the rhetoric of President Bush to his dispatch of Patriot air-defense systems and a second carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf, there are growing signs that the Bush administration is showing its willingness to solve the Iranian nuclear crisis with a preemptive military attack. The already tense US-Iran relationship is now a tinderbox. (Christian Science Monitor)
Iraq assessment bleak and sobering Feb 3, 2007
It is sending a second aircraft carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf region. Gates said the carrier group is meant to underscore to friends and adversaries alike that the U.S. considers the Persian Gulf vital to its national interests. (Buffalo News -- National)
* China gauging US resolve with test Jan 31, 2007
On Oct. 26 last year, China's Song class diesel-electric attack submarines stalked the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier battle group in the waters off the Ryukyu Islands. The US kept a lid on the incident, which was not revealed by the media until the day after US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Gary Roughead traveled to China on Nov. 12 to demand an explanation. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Somalia in danger of reverting to chaos, US military says Jan 29, 2007
U.S. forces played a limited role in the campaign, training and supplying the Ethiopian army, mounting air raids on militia targets and stationing a U.S. Navy carrier battle group off the Somali coast. But impoverished Ethiopia lacks funds and staying power to sustain an occupation of its chaotic neighbor. (International Herald Tribune)
Iran defiant on nuke, flexes military muscles Jan 24, 2007
"On December 23, the UN Security Council passed resolution 1737 imposing sanctions on Iran banning transfer of material and technology to its nuclear and missile programmes over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.Oil-rich Iran says it only wants to enrich uranium for peaceful energy ends, vehemently denying charges that it seeks to secretly develop nuclear weapons.Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards meanwhile Tuesday fired off a number of short-range missiles during military exercises but... (IranMania News)
Democrats warn Bush against attacking Iran Jan 24, 2007
When Bush outlined his revised strategy for Iraq in a speech Jan 10, he also announced he had ordered another aircraft carrier battle group into the Persian Gulf, fuelling talk of military action. "There seems to be fanning of flames where there is no fire," White House spokesperson Dana Perino said of Reid's remarks. (India Times, India)
Street: More Than Talk Jan 20, 2007
" He spoke in terms of grand terrains, both ideological and geographical. According to historian Roger Morris, a former senior National Security Council staff member, an attack on Iran by Israel or the U.S. was the leering ghost over Bushs Way Forward in Iraq (Morris. Parallel Universes, Toronto Globe and Mail, 15 January, 2007). Bush announced the sending of an additional carrier battle group to the Persian Gulf and threatened military action against Iran unless it... (Zmag.org)
* House demands approval before any attack on Iran Jan 20, 2007
Bush announced last week that he had ordered a second US aircraft carrier battle group to the Gulf and was to deploy a Patriot missile defense battalion to the region to protect allies against potential Iranian missile strikes. In a speech on Jan. 10 unveiling his new strategy for Iraq, the US president also vowed to "seek out and destroy" any networks funneling weapons or fighters from Syria or Iran into Iraq. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
