For keeping a close eye on the Iranians, in the closed waters of the Persian Gulf, our smallest combatants are doing a big job--and keeping the big expensive ships out of harm's way:
In the past six months, this small United States Navy coastal patrol ship has engaged Iranian gunboats three times in international waters here.
Crew members on both sides came up on deck to snap photographs or take video from 300 yards away — souvenirs for the Americans, surveillance for the Iranians, Navy officials say — before the vessels went their own ways without incident. ...
Last year, the Pentagon moved significant military reinforcements into the gulf to deter the Iranian military from any possible attempt to shut the Strait of Hormuz, through which 450 vessels pass every day, many carrying oil, natural gas and other energy products.
As part of that longer-term effort, the number of coastal patrol ships based in Bahrain to conduct maritime security missions is set to double, to 10 ships, by next spring, from five vessels two years ago. Six Coast Guard vessels perform similar duties. Ship crews are now assigned one- and two-year tours, instead of rotating every six months.
That change increases cohesion among crew members, improves their understanding about operating in the complex gulf environment and, Navy officials say, also lessens the chance of a miscalculation that could lead to unintended hostilities.
The patrol ships are among the Navy’s smallest. Six of the 179-foot Whirlwinds placed end to end would still come up shorter than one of the behemoth American aircraft carriers that also ply the gulf waters.
Although it cracks me up that the article notes how being careful is important to keep Iranian hardliners from undermining the recent nuclear accord with Iran by provoking an incident with our ship.
The Navy's approach is good even if you discount the fact that the difference between hardliners and moderates in Iran is that the moderates are willing to pretend that they have no nuclear weapons ambitions while the hardliners simply want to go about their nuclear business and not give an inch in talks or otherwise to the Great Satan.
