Sterett Completes Strait of Hormuz Transit

By Ensign Steven Mulherin, USS Sterett Public Affairs

USS STERETT, At Sea (NNS) -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) led the ships of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9 during a routine, scheduled transit through the Strait of Hormuz to the North Arabian Sea, Feb. 14.

Sterett, the lead ship during the outbound transit, was followed by the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71). The CSG 9 ships transited the strait to begin conducting flights in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

Cmdr. Rich McDaniel, Sterett's commanding officer, said the transit was routine and professional in nature and was carried out without interference.

"Tuesday's transit played out as expected and was completed on schedule," McDaniel said. "I continue to be impressed with the performance of Sterett Sailors on this deployment."

An important element to any strait transit is the preparation conducted by a ship's navigation team, McDaniel added. He said Sterett's navigation team was well-prepared to lead CSG 9 through the Strait of Hormuz.

Lt. j.g. William Pappas, Sterett's navigator, and his contingent of six quartermasters spent hours combing through charts to ensure the ship's safe passage through the strait. They completed the transit without incident.

"My navigation team, comprised largely of junior Sailors, put a lot of time and effort into all of our preparations, especially for transiting the Strait of Hormuz," said Pappas. "Sterett's navigation team was able to plan and execute a safe transit through the strait, and I am proud of their performance."

Sterett and USS Momsen (DDG 92) are part of Destroyer Squadron 9, embarked aboard Lincoln. CSG 9 also includes Cape St. George and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2. CSG 9 is deployed to the 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of OEF.

Port Royal and Hopper COs Discuss Incident in Strait of

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- Capt. David Adler, commanding officer of USS Port Royal (CG 73), and Capt. Jeffery James, commanding officer of USS Hopper (DDG 70), met with Middle Eastern and U.S. national media at Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet headquarters Jan. 13 to discuss last week's incident in the Strait of Hormuz.

Both commanding officers expressed that the Port Royal and Hopper crews were professional and followed proper procedures when they encountered five Iranian boats maneuvering erratically around the ships.

"As we felt the threat rise, we went through our cautionary steps, such as increasing radio queries and using the ship's whistle to warn the boats," Adler said. "We are very well trained in what we're doing here, and I think that we did exactly what we were supposed to do. I was very proud of the way that the crew preformed."

James pointed out that the crews' procedural actions prevented a potentially dangerous outcome.

"We stepped through our measured procedures to let the boats know who we were and what we were doing, and that we perceived their actions as threatening," James said. "We gave them the opportunity to break off, so that we didn't have to go the ultimate, which would have been deadly force."

Adler also mentioned that the U.S. Navy's regular transit through the Strait of Hormuz is to support regional stability.

"We're here with the 19 other Coalition countries to keep the sea lanes open for international traffic," Adler said.

Port Royal and Hopper are part of a routine rotation of U.S. warships to the region, and their operations are focused on reassuring regional partners of the Coalition's commitment to help set conditions for security and stability. U.S. forces maintain a naval and air presence in the region that deters destabilizing activities while safeguarding the region's vital links to the global economy.

Port Royal and Hopper are well-positioned to respond to any potential emergent situations. Their inherent capabilities will be used to train with regional partners and enhance existing cooperative relationships with an aim to support regional country's struggle against violent extremists. The ships also bring state-of-the-art command and control elements that are well suited to provide humanitarian and disaster relief support if required.

Iranians Call Hormuz Incident 'Normal,' U.S. Begs to Differ

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service

Small craft suspected to be from the Islamic Republic of Iran Revolutionary Guard Navy (IRGCN), maneuver aggressively in close proximity of the U.S. Navy Aegis-class cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), Aegis-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) and frigate USS Ingraham (FFG 61). All three ships were steaming in formation and had just completed a routine Strait of Hormuz transit. Coalition vessels, including U.S. Navy ships, routinely operate in the vicinity of both Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and IRGCN vessels and aircraft, without incident. U.S. Navy photo (Released)

Iranian officials called the buzzing by five Revolutionary Guard speedboats of three U.S. Navy ships "normal," but American officials insist the behavior was reckless and needlessly provocative.

The Iranian boats charged at the three warships Jan. 6 as they transited the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf.

President George W. Bush commented on the Iranian provocation during a short news conference at the White House Jan. 8.

"My message to the Iranians is simple: They shouldn't have done what they did," Bush said.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman called the Iranian action irresponsible and reckless. The Iranian armed speedboats charged at USS Port Royal (CG 73), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and USS Ingraham (FFG 61) as they steamed in international waters. One of the Iranian boats dropped boxes into the water in the path of one of the U.S. ships and radioed to the American vessels that they would explode.

"I found the action by the Iranians quite troubling, actually, and a matter of real concern," said Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates. "This is a very volatile area, and the risk of an incident escalating is real. I think that it is a reminder that there is a very unpredictable government in Tehran. And it would be nice to see the Iranian government disavow this action and say that it won't happen again."

But Iranian officials have not been so forthcoming. Iranian senior Revolutionary Guards commander Ali Reza Tangsiri told the Mehr news agency that Iran has the right to ask any ships to identify themselves upon entering or leaving the Persian Gulf.

"It is a basic responsibility of patrolling units of the Revolutionary Guards to take necessary interception measures toward any vessels entering into the waters of the Persian Gulf," Tangsiri said.

The U.S. ships followed well-established procedures during the incident, Whitman said, adding it was fortunate that the Iranian boats peeled off before the U.S. ships had to escalate to the next level.

"Do these incidents give us the opportunity to reflect, reevaluate, readjust? They always do," Whitman said. "But I don't know of any specific measures that were deemed to be inadequate in this case."

Three U.S. Navy Ships Approached by Iranian Boats

By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service and the Navy News Service


Following a routine transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Jan. 6, three U.S. Navy ships operating in international waters in the Persian Gulf were approached by five Iranian small boats that demonstrated irresponsible confrontational behavior near the U.S. ships.

U.S. Navy ships USS Port Royal (CG 73), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and USS Ingraham (FFG 61) were steaming in formation at approximately 8 a.m. as they finished a routine Strait of Hormuz transit when five boats, suspected to be from the Islamic Republic of Iran Revolutionary Guard Navy (IRGCN), maneuvered aggressively in close proximity of the Hopper. Following standard procedure, Hopper issued warnings, attempted to establish communications with the small boats and conducted evasive maneuvering.

Coalition vessels, including U.S. Navy ships, routinely operate in the vicinity of both Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and IRGCN vessels and aircraft. These interactions are always correct on the U.S. part and reflect a commitment to accepted tenets of international law and common practice.

Three U.S. Navy vessels took evasive actions after five Iranian boats buzzed the ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz Jan. 6, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Jan. 7.

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Whitman called the Iranian provocation "a serious incident." The fast Iranian boats approached at "distances and speed that showed reckless, dangerous and potentially hostile intent," he said.

The incident lasted about 15 to 20 minutes, he said. The Navy ships were going into the Persian Gulf when the Iranian boats confronted them.

"Small, Iranian fast boats made some aggressive maneuvers against our vessels and indicated some hostile intent," Whitman said. "This required our vessels to issue warnings and conduct some evasive maneuvers. The U.S. Navy vessels were prepared to take appropriate actions, but there was no engagement of the vessels."

He said the speed of the Iranian boats and their distance from the U.S. Navy vessels demonstrated potentially hostile intent. Bridge-to-bridge radio communications between the Iranian vessels and the U.S. Navy ships reinforced this impression, he said.

The U.S. ships were operating in international waters within the Strait of Hormuz and followed all appropriate protocols, Whitman said. The U.S. Navy ships are USS Port Royal (CG 73), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and USS Ingraham (FFG 61).

U.S. warships will take all the precautions needed to safely transit the open waters of the strait, the Pentagon spokesman said.

"This is reckless and dangerous behavior on the part of the Iranian vessels, and it should cease immediately," Whitman added.

Typically, small boats such as these are under command of Iranian Revolutionary Guards, U.S. Navy officials said.

All U.S. warships transiting the open seas are prepared to take action should their ship or crews be threatened, Whitman noted. The U.S. ships "did take appropriate action in terms of maneuvering and communicating, and were prepared to take further action if necessary," he said.

The Defense Department will work with White House and State Department officials to come up with the appropriate way to address the incident with the Iranian government, Whitman said.

Iranian boats took 15 British sailors engaged in United Nations-sanctioned operations in the northern Persian Gulf on March 23.