Traffic Jam in the Strait?

We’ve all heard that the Iranian’s don’t particularly like that the Johnny Reb (USS Stennis, CVN 74, and friends) are cruising around the Strait of Hormuz, keeping the peace and rescuing the odd Iranian fisherman from pirates.

The USS Stennis Carrier Strike Group

It seems that the Brits think an upgrade is in order. They are ordering the HMS Daring to join up. The Daring is a type 45 destroyer and will be replacing a type 25 destroyer on station.

HMS Daring: Courtesy of the Telegraph UK

While it’s the most formidable ship in RN at present (and they getting another one ready to go, too) we could wish that it was one of these:

HMS Vanguard

Unfortunately these (except for the few we have on display) are all gone. So we’ll have to make do without shells the size of Volkswagens. Both the RN and the USN are pretty good at it by now.

If I were the Iranian navy (or Revolutionary Guard Navy) I wouldn’t be to keen on taking a Zodiac up against the two navies that have ruled the sea since 1588. But then, if you want to play with the big boys, you have to play by the big boys’ rules.

Related articles

• Royal Navy sends new £1bn destroyer, HMS Daring, to the troubled waters of the Gulf (dailymail.co.uk)
• Royal Navy sends its mighiest ship to take on the Iranian show of force in the Gulf (telegraph.co.uk)
• U.S. Navy Rescues Iranian Sailors From Pirates (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Iran Welcomes US Rescue of Iranians Held by Pirates – Voice of America (voanews.com)
• Reagan and the Hormuz Doctrine (iamiranaware.wordpress.com)
• U.S. Fifth Fleet vs Iran Navy update: American supercarrier monitored with…binoculars. (theaviationist.com)