US NBC News reports February 14, 2026 at https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-sends-us-aircraft-carrier-ford-middle-east-iran-tensions-high-rcna258903
"The USS Ford Carrier Strike Group has been notified that they are leaving the
Caribbean and headed to the Middle East, according to two U.S. officials
familiar with the decision. The Ford will join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier
group already in the region. The decision comes as tensions with Iran remain
high."
“…The
Ford’s planned deployment to the Mideast comes after President Donald Trump
only days earlier suggested another round of talks with the Iranians was at
hand. Those negotiations didn’t materialize as one of Tehran’s top security
officials visited Oman and Qatar this week and exchanged messages with the U.S.
intermediaries.”
Pete
Comment
It
is unclear whether the Ford Group by February 25, 2026:
- will sail to the eastern Mediterranean and cruise there
or
- sail on through the Suez
Canal - Red Sea -- Arabian Sea off Iran
or
- more
simply around the Cape of Good Hope/South Africa then north through the Indian Ocean to Arabian Sea off Iran.
This also depends on the disposition of the Lincoln group. All amounting to hugely expensive speak loudly (not softly) and carry big sticks to pursue Trump's US imposed peace through violent stand over strategies.
Submarines?: Each carrier group is most probably being escorted by a US SSN.
Iran's submarines include 3 x Kilo (877s) medium sized SSKs, 1 x small Fateh class SSK and 20 x midget (120 tonne) Ghadir class SSKs - large in number, generally low in capability.
11 comments:
Buildup in Jordan:
US moves dozens of F-35, F-15 fighter jets to Jordanian airbase - report:
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-887388
https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2026/u-s-strengthens-air-combat-forces-at-jordans-muwaffaq-salti-base-near-israel-as-iran-tensions-escalate
Thanks Anonymous at 2/23/2026 10:56 AM
The US aircraft, 154 Tomahawk SSGN and ground force redeployment may be a threat to encourage Iran to accede to US anti-nuclear demands
and/or
signal an imminent aircraft and Tomahawk attack on Iran.
Will the Israeli airforce again bomb? Mossad assist with targeting?
Regards Pete
F-16 Wild Weasel aircraft are also being deployed, and they're bringing Angry
Kittens with them! :)
F-16s Heading To Middle East Equipped With Angry Kitten Electronic Warfare Pods:
https://www.twz.com/air/f-16s-heading-to-middle-east-equipped-with-angry-kitten-electronic-warfare-pods
Trump sure needs people to forget his Tariff Debacle.
The tariff debacle will keep on giving. The unlawful tariffs have to be repaid. The EU might stop a tariff deal with the US due to the new 15 % tariffs...
Regards,
MHalblaub
Its an impressive amount of firepower, but this doesn’t leave the USA much left in case events occur elsewhere. I thought they were drawing down in the Mid East?
Not drawing down would require coherent US defense policies.
Instead there are Trump bright ideas several times a week.
Hi MHalblaub at 2/23/2026 9:05 PM
Trump seems to have dreamed up 15% to defy the Supreme Court and to prove he's still a powerful dictator. Tariff's are dropping ordinary American's standard of living.
The problem is these new tariffs are contrary to the negotiated deal with the EU. We don't need US whisky. We can replace it with real scotch. - I prefer Brandy. You can taste Brandy in some Scotch because they are aged in old Brandy casks.
Cheers,
MHalblaub
Hi MHalblaub at 2/24/2026 10:34 PM
Yes the EU has so many traditional fortified wines (ETHANOL - that it can use in submarine Air Independent Power) that it doesn't need Yankee Moonshine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonshine :
"Moonshine is high-proof liquor, [in the US] traditionally made or distributed illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of distilling the alcohol at night to avoid detection."
I read that a German fortified wine/spirit is Glühwein - a traditional German hot, spiced, mulled wine served during the winter, especially at Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte). Translating to "glow-wine" (referring to the warm feeling it brings), it is made by heating red wine with spices, citrus, and sugar.
Mit Schuss: Glühwein often includes a "shot" (Schuss) of rum or brandy.
Feuerzangenbowle: A dramatic variation where a rum-soaked sugarloaf is set on fire and drips into the wine.
An engine room of a Type 212 could hold AIP parties - but 212s sadly use methanol for their fuel cell reforming process.
Cheers Pete
On German submarines alcohol is only bottled. Spanish runs their S-80 on ethanol in the tanks. Poor South Korean have methanol on board. So far I heard nothing about a reformer or DMFC for 212CD.
Cheers
MH
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