Earlier this month the U.S. Navy sent the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG 11) to the Persian Gulf as a demonstration of solidarity with allies and partners in the region, freedom of navigation, and readiness to launch war, should the latter be necessary. The USS Nimitz (CVN 68) passed through the Strait of Hormuz with the guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG-59) and USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) and guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG-104). 

“The [Carrier Strike Group] will operate and train alongside regional and coalition partners, and provide naval aviation support to Operation Inherent Resolve,” according to a statement issued by the 5th Fleet.

It was certainly a “picture perfect” moment, but this time the pictures were reportedly taken not by the U.S. Navy but rather by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Force, which utilized a drone to photograph the CSG as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.

Images of the carrier were then published by the semi-official Iranian Tasnim news agency, which has ties to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. In the photos, fighter planes could be seen parked on the carrier’s deck.

This is not the first time that photos of U.S. Navy warships have been taken by the Revolutionary Guard and published in the Iranian media. Similar images were reportedly taken last year by a guard drone that flew over the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) as well as other American warships.

Drone Strike 

The question is whether the drones could be used for more than a propaganda tool. If an Iranian drone can get close enough to snap some photos, then could it also launch an attack? 

However, the answer could be in swarms of drones that could provide an aerial screening of the carriers—something that the Navy has considered for several years.  

Earlier this year it was reported that the Navy is also building a special new command control mini “drone-headquarters” space on its aircraft carriers to operate deck-launched drones. These are part of a strategy aimed at massively increasing the scope of carrier-launch drone missions in the coming years. Drones from carriers could represent an unprecedented technical leap for the Navy as it seeks to expand surveillance and combat range and mission scope for its Carrier Air Wings.

Iranian Propaganda 

Perhaps Iran can also use the images it took of the USS Nimitz to create a better faux version of the carrier for the Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRG-N) to use as a target. While the Iranians have already built a simulated American carrier on a target barge it was far from accurate. Now at least the guard should have some better photos from which to work when creating the next target—but whether it helps them successfully sink it will remain an open question.  

The Nimitz is the first carrier to operate in the Persian Gulf since USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was deployed to the region in November, and the last capital ship to sail in the Persian Gulf was USS Bataan (LHD 5) in April.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com. 

Image: Reuters