Tuesday, Jul 10, 2007

(Updates an item published at 1242 GMT with departure date, comments from U.S. Navy and analyst)

LONDON (Dow Jones)--The U.S. has deployed a third aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced Tuesday.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise and associated ships forming the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, or CSG, will join the U.S. 5th fleet currently on operations in the region.

The ship departed its base in Norfolk, Virginia on July 7, according to Department of Defense documents.

"Deploying the Enterprise CSG continues to demonstrate the United States commitment to security and stability in the region," a statement from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command read.

But the Enterprise's deployment wasn't linked to the current tensions between the U.S. and Iran, U.S. Navy spokesman Lt. Tom Porter said.

"It's not tied to any one country - it's part of a normal presence that the U.S. Navy has had in the region for decades," he said.

The USS John C. Stennis and USS Nimitz CSG's are currently operating within the 5th Fleet.

"The complex operational environment here, especially during these challenging times, requires a strong presence in the region," Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet was quoted as saying.

"Enterprise Carrier Strike Group provides us with the right assets at the right time as we continue to strengthen regional relationships that contribute directly to stability and the free flow of commerce in the region," he said. "Enterprise presence provides Navy power to counter the assertive, disruptive and coercive behavior of some countries, as well as support our soldiers and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan."

The Enterprise carrier strike group's deployment wasn't linked to the rotation of any of the other CSGs operating within the 5th fleet's area of operations, Lt. Porter said.

"It's not a replacement for any specific vessel," he said. "We don't discuss specific ship numbers and arrivals - we normally keep around 40-45 ships in the region."

The U.S. statement "should probably be taken at face value," said Clifford Beal, director at defense and aerospace consultants, Strix Consultancy. "However, should USS Stennis remain for long in the Gulf after the Enterprise arrives, then this would be a clear racheting of diplomatic pressure.

"Any significant strike on Iran, however unlikely, would see the use of more than just one carrier battle group," he said.

The U.S. 5th Fleet's area of operations encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles of water and includes the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean, It also includes the three waterways the Suez Canal, Strait of Hormuz and Strait of Bab al Mandeb.

-By Nick Heath, Dow Jones Newswires; (4420) 7842 9405; nicholas.heath@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-07-07 1417GMT