I've been waiting for someone, somewhere, to hear of this. I know I'm not the only boatnerd among us.
After fifty plus years of defending the free world the time has come for USS Enterprise CVN-65, the "Big E", the "Starship", to depart on one final major deployment. The world's first nuclear aircraft carrier sports eight reactors, four sets of turbines, the longest hull of any warship on earth at 1,102 feet, and probably the highest top speed. 3.5 acres of flight deck, 5,500 crew, and four squadrons of F-18's are a floating piece of American airbase anywhere on the world's saltwater. And she has the battle ribbons to prove it.
Now for the interesting part and how this plays into current events.
While it's a far cry from Ronald Reagan's six hundred ship navy the US still maintains eleven big deck carriers. One is always in overhaul so really there are only ten deployable at any given time. Since it generally requires two in port for every one deployed this means that keeping three carriers out there has become a bit unusual for the modern US navy. As the Enterprise departs she will head to the eastern Mediterranean and then possibly through the Suez canal to the Arabian sea and Persian Gulf region. This will give the US three carriers in that area alone at one time. She will arrive as the window opens for an Israeli attack on Iran and I can't believe the media isn't bringing up this amazing coincidence. But wait, there's more. A few weeks ago Enterprise took part in Exercise Bold Alligator 2012 off the east coast of the US. Bold Alligator was a real study all by itself. A major amphibious exercise that pulled together much of the available amphibious lift of the US Navy and Marine Corps in winter? Just the kind of tools you would need to run around the Persian Gulf cleaning out all the islands and marshes full of Iranian RGC forces around the straits of Hormuz.
Maybe I'm reaching. I don't usually like to do this but there are a lot of little pieces coming together here. She leaves tomorrow. Maybe Enterprise will go peacefully on her way and return in six or seven months for the last time. Maybe but if it happens like that I'm going to be surprised.
It's a dirty job but I got to do it for 27 years. Thank you.
