US Navy Is Building A Floating Staging Base For The Middle East

NY Times

The Navy is converting an amphibious transport and docking ship to serve as a floating base for military operations and humanitarian assistance, with deployment expected this summer to waters in the Middle East, Pentagon officials said Friday.

Officials said the staging base would allow commandos, helicopters, speedboats and even aircraft with a short-takeoff capability to operate in regions where the United States does not have access to installations on land.

He emphasized that though the conversion was being done in an expedited fashion, it was not to meet the timeline of any specific military operation in the region. - NY Times

Interesting development here...

Seems the military is really jacking up the Naval pressure in the ME...

What do you think everyone? Expedited conversion? Any "specific" operation?

I dunno... things look worse and worse every day.

It's not a new idea....but it sure makes me nervous for what it suggests in long term planning when we ought to be seeing things wind down. They did this on a few floating platforms for U.S. Navy SEALs in Vietnam along major rivers. It gave them security by a dedicated little platform to work from....and access to operate daily if needed, long term.

We need to dial this crap DOWN with Iran. Not ramp it up. I'm really not sure Iran is capable or intending to first strike...and without KNOWING that as much as such things can be known, I don't think we need to be preparing for more war.

It sure isn't for landlocked Afghanistan.

reply to post by YouAreLiedTo


That's cool, it's kinda like the movie "WaterWorld".



Well, not exactly... shut up! Was too a good movie!

reply to post by YouAreLiedTo


Regardless of what it could be used for, you cannot argue with the fact that the United States does more in humanitarian efforts than the rest of the world combined.


It is one of the very few good things that our government does anymore.

Originally posted by SG-17
reply to post by YouAreLiedTo

 

Regardless of what it could be used for, you cannot argue with the fact that the United States does more in humanitarian efforts than the rest of the world combined.


It is one of the very few good things that our government does anymore.

While I agree with you and always encourage good deeds, lets not forget that evil deeds are sometimes cloaked by good deeds.

reply to post by Swills

Well, not exactly... shut up! Was too a good movie!

When Kevin Costner wasn't speaking... then sure.

Most of the articles on the net are calling it a "mothership" ...ha I love it!

Navy wants commando ‘mothership’ in Middle East

The United States amphibious assault ship USS Ponce sails through the Suez Canal in March 2011. If retrofited as “the mothership,” the vessel could accommodate smaller high-speed boats and helicopters commonly used by Navy SEALs

reply to post by UberL33t


Finally disclosure....reversed alien terminology exposed buy the MSM and our government is not covering it up!

There is nothing new about this ship being used for special operations. They are part of the fleet and anytime a fleet goes out. I lived on this type of ship for many months at a time.
The back opens, they can launch boats and helo's from it...they can even open the back, by dropping the stern gate and flood the well decks inside the boat...
They have always had seals and marines onboard them when deployed...