The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), the most modern of the U.S. Navy's Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, entered the Persian Gulf watched at a respectful distance by the small patrol boats of the Navy of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, popularly called the Revolutionary Guards' Navy (NESDA).

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She entered the gulf through the Strait of Hormuz in a convoy escorted by a Danish frigate and a French destroyer and with U.S. helicopters providing overhead cover. Some 20 small NESDA fast attack craft looked on as the massive 100,000 carrier approached the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz but did not interfere with the transit.

Navy officers aboard the Bush tried to communicate with the NESDA boats, but there are no reports they responded.

From painful past experience, the navy knows small boats can be easily transformed into suicide boats packed with explosives. The attack on the USS Cole (DDG-67) by a suicide boat on Oct. 12, 2000 is an example.

"While these probably don't have explosives, their behavior can lead to a miscalculation because we don't understand their intentions," said Lt. Ian McConnaughey, a U.S. Navy spokesman.

"Our intention is never to start anything but if the situation arises, we are within our rights to defend ourselves."

The Bush is the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 2 (CSG-2 or CARSTRKGRU 2) and is currently deployed to the United States Fifth Fleet and Sixth Fleet.

There are 6,000 officers and men in CSG-2 which, on this deployment, consists of the Bush; the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG-58) and USS Truxtun (DDG-103), and the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) and USS Hue City (CG-66).

The sharp end of CSG-2 is Carrier Air Wing 8, which includes Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 213 "Fighting Black Lions"; VFA-31 "Tomcatters"; VFA-87 "Golden Warriors" and VFA-37 "Ragin Bulls."

Carrier Air Wing 8 also consists of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 131 "Lancers"; Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 124 "Bear Aces"; Helicopter Mine Countermeasure Squadron (HSM) 70 "Spartans"; Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 "Tridents" and a detachment from Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 "Rawhides."

CSG-2 is set to continue carrier based airstrikes against Islamic State forces in Syria and Iraq.

The deployment of CSG-2 follows the return of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) strike group in December 2016 from an extended deployment in United States Fifth and Sixth Fleets.

TagsUSS George H.W. Bush, Revolutionary Guards' Navy, NESDA, Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, Carrier Strike Group 2