The U.S. Navy nuclear-powered cruise-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN-729) made a very visible transit of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz by riding on the surface escorted by two Navy warships.
The very public show of naval force was intended as both a warning to Iran, and as a demonstration of the U.S. Navy's ability to sail and operate wherever international law allows.
It came two weeks ahead of the first anniversary of the assassination by the U.S. of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in Baghdad on Jan. 2, 2020 in an aerial drone strike authorized by president Donald Trump.
There are intelligence reports Iran plans to mark Soleimani's first death anniversary with reprisals. Iran is also said to be looking to avenge the murder of nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, by the Israelis.
USS Georgia made certain Iran knew of her presence, as well as her arsenal of 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, by plowing leisurely ahead as she headed up the Arabian Gulf escorted by the guided-missile cruisers, USS Port Royal (CG-73) and USS Philippine Sea (CG-58).
The United States Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain said the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine's presence in Mideast waterways signals the Navy's "commitment to regional partners and maritime security." Her presence demonstrates the Navy's readiness "to defend against any threat at any time."
Apart from the submarine's very visible voyage, the Navy also told the world of the exploit via news stories and video posted on traditional and online media.
Earlier this month, the U.S. military flew two Boeing B-562H nuclear-capable strategic heavy bombers to the Middle East in a mission U.S. officials said was a message of deterrence to Iran.
The Navy says SSGNs, or cruise missile submarines such as the USS Georgia, are one of the most versatile platforms in the fleet. These boats come with superior communications capabilities and the ability to also host up to 66 Special Operations Forces operators apart from their cruise missile loads.
These boats have 22 missile tubes with seven TLAMs in each one. Each TLAM has a range of about 1,000 miles, meaning most potential targets in the Middle East are within their reach from the Arabian Gulf.
The Fifth Fleet's area of operations encompasses 2.5 million square miles of water. It includes the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse is home to 20 countries, including some of the world's most volatile, and has three maritime chokepoints critical to the free flow of global commerce.
