On 25 August, 2013 fhere are now four destroyers positioned in the eastern Mediterranean Sea: the Mahan, Barry, Gravely and Ramage. The Mahan was initially scheduled to head home, being replaced by the Ramage. But for now, Mahan will remain deployed, the official said. Mahan has been ordered to patrol the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, amid the rising rumors of an imminent military action in Syria.
Factions within the administration line up largely along two fronts: those who want the U.S. to take more decisive action to counter widespread violence in both Egypt and Syria, and senior military who are arguing for moderation. Aug. 21, 2013 “The use of U.S. military force can change the military balance,” Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added. “But it cannot resolve the underlying and historic ethnic, religious and tribal issues that are fueling this conflict.”
Instead, he spoke in favor of an expansion of the Obama administration’s current policy.
The U.S. can provide far greater humanitarian assistance and, if asked, do more to bolster a moderate opposition in Syria. Such an approach “represents the best framework for an effective U.S. strategy toward Syria,” Dempsey said.
The lack of a unified position — both within the administration and in Congress — is giving Obama time and space for his cautious approach.
Class & type:Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Displacement:Light: approx. 6,805 tons
Full: approx. 8,939 tons
Length:505 ft (154 m)
Beam:66 ft (20 m)
Draft:31 ft (9.4 m)
Propulsion:4 General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower (75 MW)
Speed:>30 knots (56 km/h)
Range:4,400 nautical miles at 20 knots
(8,100 km at 37 km/h)
Complement:33 Officers
38 Chief Petty Officers
210 Enlisted Personnel
Sensors and
processing systems:
AN/SPY-1D 3D Radar
AN/SPS-67(V)2 Surface Search Radar
AN/SPS-73(V)12 Surface Search Radar
AN/SQS-53C Sonar Array
AN/SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array Sonar
AN/SQQ-28 LAMPS III Shipboard System
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
AN/SLQ-32(V)2 Electronic Warfare System
AN/SLQ-25 Nixie Torpedo Countermeasures
MK 36 MOD 12 Decoy Launching System
AN/SLQ-39 CHAFF Buoys
Armament:
1 × 29 cell, 1 × 61 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems with 90 × RIM-156 SM-2, BGM-109 Tomahawk or RUM-139 VL-Asroc missiles
1 × Mark 45 5/54 in (127/54 mm)
2 × 25 mm chain gun
4 × .50 caliber (12.7 mm) guns
2 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
2 × Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried:1 SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter can be embarked
The aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman, by far the most powerful warship in the region, left the Mediterranean last weekend, passing through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea. ST CSG includes Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10; aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75); guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto (CG 56) and USS Gettysburg (CG 64); guided-missile destroyers USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) and USS Mason (DDG 87); embarked 1st Combined Destroyer Squadron staff; and embarked Carrier Air Wing 3 and its squadrons: Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 32 "Swordsmen," VFA-37 "Ragin' Bulls," and VFA-105 "Gunslingers," Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 "Checkerboards," Airborne Early Warning Squadron 126 "Seahawks," Electronic Attack Squadron 130 "Zappers," Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 7 "Dusty Dogs," and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 74 "Swamp Foxes".
Having completed a major refit in the past few weeks, the French nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is operational. Officials say she remains for now in the Mediterranean port of Toulon
The helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious left Portsmouth Naval Base and will join the navy flagship HMS Bulwark, which has sailed from Devonport for the Cougar '13 operation.
Sailing on August 27 will be HMS Westminster, a type 23 frigate, which will visit Gibraltar en route.
Other UK ships taking part are another type 23 frigate, HMS Montrose, and six Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships. The Royal Navy has kept a nuclear-powered Trafalgar class submarine, armed with Tomahawk missiles,in the Mediterranean in recent months