San Diego Union-Tribune reported this morning that USS Independence is
proceeding to the Persian Gulf (USN’s “Arabian Gulf”) and is expected to
arrive in a about a week.

Carriers/Airwings at Sea:
USS Nimitz (CVW-9): SOUTHERN WATCH, Arabian Gulf
USS George Washington (CVW-1): SOUTHERN WATCH, Arabian Gulf
USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74): JTFEX 98-1, west Atlantic
USS Independence (CVW-5): west Pacific

Each CVW has about 50 strike-capable aircraft, mostly F-18Cs. F-14Ds and
S-3Bs have ground-attack capability. No word about surface combatants