NORFOLK, Va. — The number of American warships in the 5th Fleet area of operations, led by the Norfolk-based USS Harry S Truman and Carrier Strike Group 8, remains 18, as of January 6, according to USNI News.
The Truman and the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing One remain on station in the Arabian Sea, awaiting orders.
This was a regularly scheduled deployment, but, depending on how things turn out in the current showdown with Iran, it could suddenly become anything but routine.
"Getting close to Iran means we have to think very seriously about how many ships we're going to lose," said Old Dominion University Political Science Lecturer Aaron Karp. "You get close to Iran, you will lose ships. America hasn't lost any naval vessels, well, I guess, you have to go back to World War II."
Karp's books include "Ballistic Missile Proliferation," "Global Insurgency," and "The Future of Armed Conflict."
He says naval forces face three-man threats: suicide attacks, cruise missiles, and mine warfare.
Karp also noted an Iranian response of some kind, following the U.S. drone strike that killed General Qasem Soleimani, is all but inevitable at this point.
"You're dealing with a nation of 80 million people, one of the oldest cultures, one of the proudest cultures on Earth," he said."They believe they have a rightful place in this world. And you've got to find a way to deal with them. And if you don't, they're going to make their presence felt. They're going to react. They're going to have to. You've seen the demonstrations. You've seen what's going on."
Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine made a floor speech calling for passage of his war powers resolution that would force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran.
"If there is to be a war with Iran, it should not be initiated by this president, or any president, acting on his or her own. It should only be initiated by Congress following an open and public debate in full view of the American people," Kaine said.