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Nimitz Sets Off for Persian Gulf

The nuclear powered Aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, is scheduled to sail out of San Diego Bay at about 10 a.m. to join two other strike forces already in the Persian Gulf. KPBS reporter Alison St J

The nuclear powered Aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz,  is scheduled to sail out of San Diego Bay  at about 10 a.m. to join two other strike forces already in the Persian Gulf. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

The USS Nimitz, her accompanying destroyer squadron and a submarine are headed out of San Diego to join 15 American warships already in the Persian Gulf.

Commander Jack Hahnzlik of the Navy’s Air Force Command says the Nimitz has 5 thousand 500 hundred men and women aboard, and almost 70 aircraft.

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Hahnzlik: You’ve got  F18s, H60 Helicopters, E2 Hawkeyes, and  EAB electronic attack aircraft .

Hahnzlik says the mission is to join the Stennis Strike group and support ongoing operations. The USS Stennis arrived in the Persian Gulf two weeks ago and began training maneuvers last week with the USS Eisenhauer to simulate attacks on enemy aircraft, ships and submarines.  The last time the U.S. had  two US Aircraft carriers in the Gulf was when the invasion of Iraq began.   The USS Nimitz will join them in a matter of weeks. Alison St John, KPBS News.