Play War Planner: Now that the USS Nimitz is in the Red Sea . . . . .

[Stinky The Clown]

. . . . how does it gets its planes or missiles into Syria? Not even strong US ally Jordan has given flyover rights. If Israel gives flyover rights, an attack from Iran would not be a surprise. Then we have to consider the rest of the neighbors. Lebanon? Egypt? Will the Saudis allow us to use their air space? We own Iraq; or do we?

Whoever lets us fly over their air space lays down a line in the sand, and sets themselves up as a target for somebody.

Yes, I know we have assets in the Mediterranean with direct access to Syria, but what does the Red Sea stationing do for us?

Play War Planner. What is your postulation?

[adirondacker]

1. Lo and behold, there's an app for that...

http://skahal.com/ships-n-battles/

[CanonRay]

2. Protect oil tankers going through the Suez

in the aftermath of an attack?

[MADem]

3. Shoot from the Med. Easy. And post 2 has a point, but not just oil tankers.

Any vessel transiting in the area...

[Hayabusa]

4. You'd have to fly through Israel

and negotiate a treaty with the Saudis for airspace rights in their territory. Meanwhile, station a small carrier and battleship group near the Black Sea, in case Russia decides to actually fight with their Syrian allies. Also, get some carriers in the Persian Gulf in case Iran decides to get involved as well.

Have all active-duty infantry on stand by to deploy to the theatre in case this gets very hot, very quick, as well.

[Robb]

5. Carriers are great big signs that deliver messages.

Anything we'd shoot with is already in the Med under several meters of water.

[FarCenter]

6. Attacking Syria from the Red Sea with carrier-based planes requires in-flight refueling

So the Nimitz is pretty poor for attacking Syria unless it passes through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea.

Sharm el Sheik to Damascus is 400 miles.

[Puzzledtraveller]

7. A Syrian playdate?

[Junkdrawer]

9. Suez Canal....

A few weeks ago another carrier went through....

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130819/DEFREG04/308190008/US-Carrier-Passes-Through-Suez-Canal-Despite-Tensions

[HooptieWagon]

10. Protect Suez, Israel, and Saudi Arabia? nt

[KittyWampus]

11. There's a reason Russia deployed an anti-submarine ship into the Mediterranean

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57600555/u.s-russia-said-to-up-naval-presence-in-gulf-region/

This, as the Russian news service Interfax is citing military sources as saying Moscow is dispatching an anti-submarine ship and a cruiser to the Mediterranean.

[HardTimes99]

12. I seriously doubt the Nimitz is there for its offensive firepower. More likely, its

planes and the battlegroup accompanying it are there to shore up Israeli defenses against possible Syrian or Hezbollah attack. Mostly a symbolic show of force, though, saber rattling meant to scare the locals.

[KoKo]

13. I think we will be firing "precision" rockets from our bases in area and

not using air power with jets to fly over to drop bombs, though.

[Lurks Often]

14. Putting the Nimitz carrier group in the Red Sea is the closest it can get to Syria

in a timely manner and still cover the Arabian Gulf. The other carrier group currently at sea is off Afghanistan and the other is home ported in Japan to cover the Pacific.

Three more are in dry dock for scheduled upgrades and maintenace
The other four are split evenly between San Diego and Norfolk and only one seems to be preparing for a deployment and would normally replace one of the two carrier groups at sea.

Here is a link showing where the carriers are: http://www.gonavy.jp/CVLocation.html