The US military continues building up forces in the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several warships are already in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area, and the Arleigh Burke–class destroyer USS Delbert D. Black has just joined them, providing defense against missiles and drones. Additionally, flight trackers show that an electronic surveillance aircraft (an RC-135V Rivet Joint) has deployed to Qatar, signaling increased intelligence collection, reports Howard Altman of The War Zone. Another specialized aircraft (an E-11A BACN) is also en route, underscoring US preparations for possible conflict scenarios in the region. Altman writes:
All told, the Navy now has 10 warships in the CENTCOM area of responsibility (AOR). The Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black just joined that force, a Navy official told us.
A destroyer would provide picket defense against missiles and drones, as well as standoff call strike capabilities. […]
While the Navy’s deployments are getting a lot of attention, a U.S. Air Force RC-135V Rivet Joint electronic surveillance plane has flown to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, according to online flight trackers. The aircraft, callsign Olive48, arrived at Al Udeid on Wednesday morning Eastern time, according to FlightRadar24. […]
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