By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press
On May 9 the US Naval Institute reported, “Due to provocative behavior from Iran and new intelligence…US National Security Advisor John Bolton cited {but did not identify}a “number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings.”
Subsequently the US Central Command ordered the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln strike force from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf, belly up with Iran.
The Navy report also mentioned that the Lincoln, stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, is “set to arrive at its new homeport of San Diego later this year.”
The Lincoln strike group consists of 90 fixed wing fighter jets as well as attack helicopters. One of the latter is The Griffins, a helicopter Maritime squad from Naval Air Station, North Island, San Diego – where the Lincoln will eventually check in unless ordered next to Venezuela, Cuba, or whatever unfortunate targets may be forthcoming from John Bolton’s and Donald Trump’s deranged minds.
The Lincoln carries Air Carrier Wing 7, includes 9 squadrons, one of which is “The Fist of the Fleet” Strike Fighter detachment from Lemoore, Kings County, CA. According to Wikipedia, Lemoore Naval Air Station is “the largest Master Jet Base in the Navy and hosts five carrier air wings mostly made up of F-18 and F-35 jets.”
Accompanying the Lincoln is Destroyer Squadron 2, including “guided missile destroyers Bainbridge, Mason and Nitze.”
A Spanish frigate was part of the group, but withdrew recently after the US was unable to to back up its accusations against Iran.
Sources: US Naval Institute, usni.org; Wikipedia, wikipedia.org.
Michael Steinberg is a regular contributor to the OB Rag. During the 1980s, while living in OB, he operated the San Diego Military Monitoring Project, and reported on the development of the cruise missile, threats to Central America, the presence of nuclear weapons in San Diego Harbor. He is currently based in San Francisco.
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