The Gulf of Oman throngs with ships from supermassive cargo vessels and oil tankers to pleasure boats, and traditional ‘dhows’.
But this busy and critical waterway is also the temporary home to increasing amounts of military hardware.
Since February, citing threats from Iran, the US has built up a large military presence in the gulf region, including 300 combat aircraft, 30 ships and around 35,000 troops from the US Navy, Air Force and Army.
Two destroyers, the USS Mason and USS Bainbridge were prominent in assisting the stricken Kokuka Courageous, the Japanese tanker featured in a video released by the Americans as evidence of Tehran’s involvement.
The 5th fleet, currently deployed in the Persian Gulf, normally includes two aircraft carriers, the USS Independence and the USS George Washington. However the US Navy says the USS Abraham Lincoln, which was recently deployed to the Gulf, is currently the only carrier in the region.
A carrier typically has an airforce loaded with more than 4.6 million pounds of air-launched missiles, laser guided bombs and general purpose munitions.
The 5th Fleet carriers each lead a battle group, comprised of ten or more ships: with accompanying vessels drawn from two cruisers, five destroyers, three frigates, two attack submarines, five combat support ships and two minehunters.
The fleet is also currently supported in the Gulf by the USS Kearsarge, a Wasp-class amphibious assault craft and amid rising tensions, the US announced last month it plans to send 1500 more troops to the region.
The Royal Navy’s HMS Montrose is currently stationed in Bahrain with a three year mission to support security in the Middle East. The type-23 Frigate is charged with supporting counter-terrorism and counter smuggling operations in the Indian Ocean.
Information about the Russian naval presence is limited, but Rear-Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, commander of Iran’s navy announced plans in April to hold a joint naval exercise with Russia later this year.
Previously Iranian and Russian navies have held combined training exercises in the Caspian sea, with the most recent in 2017 involving the Russian 5th fleet, which comprises up to 15 warships.
Iran’s navy comprises seven submarines, a destroyer, three frigates, two corvettes and a number of smaller craft which Tehran reportedly believes will be capable of overwhelming much larger ships such as those of the US navy.
The Saudi Navy’s Eastern Fleet is stationed in the gulf. Saudi Arabia has gradually built up its naval forces and is regarded as having the most formidable navy in the Middle East, including US Badr-class corvettes and patrol boats, UK-built Sandown minehunters and French-made Al Madinah-class frigates. The Eastern Fleet is made up of largely US-made ships.
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