Floating U.S. base to be deployed in Mideast
From Pentagon Correspondent Chris Lawrence
The Pentagon is converting an aging warship into a floating base for use by U.S. commandos operating in the Middle East, according to a senior Defense Department official.
The USS Ponce, an amphibious transport docking ship, will be retrofitted into a staging base for Navy special operations forces.
The Washington Post first reported the story.
"The warship will be manned by a combined crew of Navy officers and enlisted sailors and Military Sealift Command government civilian mariners," said a statement from Lt. Commander Mike Kafka at U.S. Fleet Forces. The deployment will fulfill a longstanding request of the U.S. Central Command, the statement said.
One of the highlights in Pentagon budget documents released on Thursday was continued funding for "a new afloat forward staging base that can be dedicated to support missions in areas where ground based access is not available, such as counter-mine operations."
Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping lane for Persian Gulf oil. Mines would be one way for Iran to block the waterway.
–CNN Pentagon Producer Jennifer Rizzo contributed to this report.
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
Hello, Neat post. There is a problem with your website in web explorer, may check this?
IE still is the market chief and a big element of folks will miss your excellent writing because of this problem.
I really love your blog.. Great colors & theme. Did you build this web site yourself? Please reply back as I’m looking to create my own site and would love to find out where you got this from or exactly what the theme is called. Cheers!
https://extraproxies.com/sharepoint-online-office-365-autoresolve-people-picker-with-current-user-and-detect-change-in-people-picker-value/
Best view i have ever seen !
https://images.google.com.kh/url?q=https://topphimhot.net
I think other website proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and magnificent user genial style and design, as well as the content. You're an expert in this topic!
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
I've recently started a website, the info you offer on this site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work. "The very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice." by Mark Twain.
https://www.electricpercolatorcoffeepot.com/10-top-coffee-bloggers/
Our Military thinks this is a good idea, putting all eggs in one basket?
Since no one is going to let us put the base anywhere else...
Be ready for the consequences of this stunt.
if females are deployed they will be pregnant in a 48 hours.......lloll.........floating barge.
Maybe they could just rape you?
Not if emasculated wonders such as yourself are there.
that will be an easy target to knock out the best trained in one shot...not sure it sounds good
It looks like the Navy is working on implementing their "Sea Power 21" concepts, which includes "sea basing" Check out http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/proceedings.html
I dont think its gonna be just Naval types ---I am pretty sure its gonna be all types of SF types
... more US taxpayer dollars down the drain... and for what? nothin'. what a waste. Ron Paul is the only GOP candidate with any sense.
bETTER TO FIGHT BAD GUY'S ON THIER TURF THAN FIGHT THEM ON OUR TURF
What utter drivel.
MMMMMMMMMMMM Drivel huh? -–Well ever fire a 203 ever see what it does ??????? i wouldnt want that exploding in my neighborhood lololololi
Better yet have you seen the impact area after a platton of 81mm mortars fires for effect with HE rounds?
You children play too many video games.
Gee Rick --- I didnt see you in Kabul in 2002 or in Biap-Baghdad in 2005 or 2007 -but we did have games to play lolololol
agreed Zoglet....utter drivel. I sense the smell of anxious, fucked-up war vets desperate to glean something tangible from their 'duties' performed in the middle east. Not their fault, I might add. These boys and girls are perfect fodder for the war machine that is the United Staes of America.
Dude –ya have to leave your room and stop having mommy feed ya ----Ya havent been any where or seen nothin ---so put down your "game boy" and see what the real world is about
Somewhere between these two lines of thinking, the 'Give Peace a Chance'ers and the 'Let God Sort Em Out' crowd, there's got to be a final truth, a justice worth reaching. Each side has their merit; no one should relish in the thought of destruction or death for anyone, but unfortunately there are divisions people wish to exploit, which side you want to be on? Sure, just submit to a new set of beliefs right?
Everyone's got their flag to fly, but no one flies an invisible one. There's a time and a place for every diplomat, every civilian, every soldier.
Hey i have no problem leaving Afgan Thursday Morning ----We finished our misssion there -Binladin is dead ---Letem kill each other –wont break my heart -Having done 1 tour there --- we could be there for centurys and not change a thing
@gadaffi
Says the guy with a Tyrants name who was sodomized by a band of untrained militia men before they shot him in the head before a trial could ever be done.
cchu aka cassandra chu is crying out for ron paul on behalf of her muslim clients. not going to happen chu. time to change sides.
And this reply obviously comes from a spoon fed baby whose NEVER served a day to serve their country.
Converting an existing old transport ship to a staging base, to support operations when a land base is not an option, is a waste of money?
You, sir/madam/llama/whatever, are a waste of good oxygen.
Israel "believes" that Iran is going to wipe then off the map. (Not even close to what Iran actually said)
Iran "believes" that Israel is going to wipe them off the map. (Regime change)
Israel feel that this is the last year that it can put a stop to Iran and an attack is now or never. (The child is running into the street)
Iran feels powerless to stop the imminent attack and is living in fear because it can never prove it doesn't have something.
When Iran want's to talk....Israel says that they are only stalling for time.
How can non violent communication stop this disaster from happening? What does Rosenberg say?
First off, get a clue.
Iran has stated numerous times, Israel needs to be destroyed.
Israel already defends itself daily from Iranian surrogates firing rockets into Israeli cities, rockets provided by Iran.
Iran arms and trains Hezbollah and Hamas to fight Israel as their proxies.
If Iran arms either group with a Nuke, and Tel Aviv or Ashdod goes up in a puff of smoke killing millions, would you be satisfied then, that Iran intends the Israelis harm?
Id rather see a few dozen/hundred die in a fair military conflict where soldiers are putting their lives on the line than see millions of civilians killed as an act of terrorism.
And if you dont think Iran will do it....look at Lebanon and our 200+ Marines killed by a truck bomb by Hezbollah.
"Id rather see a few dozen/hundred die in a fair military conflict ..."
Are we talking about war? I mean our wars in the Mideast were "fair military conflicts" and how many THOUSANDS of people have died? If you think that a few dozen or hundred casualties are all that would come from Israel attacking Iran then i say you are higher than Sh!t man....
Ooh...is there an echo in here? Sounds like the exact same 'fear' rhetoric served up by Rumsfeldt and his band of gun-toting red-necks again. Thankfully, we have a real leader in the whitehouse who doesn't reach for his gun every time he doesn't understand something beyond the American dream.
By the way, Iran has never advocated the annihilaton of Israel. If you bother to do some research you will discover that that beloved organ for the blind and ignorant, Fox news, decided to interpret Irans words without proper attention. What don't you tea party wankers not get about the fear factor? Right wing America has relied on fear...of the black man, of Muslims etc etc., as a way of keeping it's sheep neatly in line since day one.
Wake up.
does non violent communication include threats of annihilation? arming hezbollah and hamas? if so, maybe it would work, if not, violence begets violence.
In the 1980's the US Army leased a pair of oil field support barges and converted these into floating bases that were positioned in the Persian Gulf near Iran. Special forces operated from them for many years fending off the freqent attacks on neutral shipping by the Iran Revolutionary Guards. There was an epic battle where the IRG lost scores of small boats attacking one of these barges. The Army also operated small patrol craft in the Persian Gulf supporting their special forces, and the barges had armed helicopters on board. The barges were towed around the gulf so they didn't sit in the same place for very long.
I imagine that is the precedent that led to the idea of anchoring this old amphibious warfare ship in the gulf as a floating base for special forces.
Wow, Thank you, I had no idea, Whatever laws we decide, there will always be a need to stop something from reaching American shores. Barges, AFSB's or moth balled transport carriers etc. Whatever...I repeat my first comment.
Couldn’t similar vessels placed at strategic points, such as, the waters outside of San Diego CA, New Orleans LA and Jacksonville FL better co-ordinate both the U.S. Coast Guard’s air sea rescue ,and anti- drug operations? Putting at least one U.S. Coast Guard HITRON unit on each vessel, would significantly reduce the maritime drug smuggling into the United States, as well as, provide far greater logistical air-sea rescue options....
Terry --Hell yea ---- but the powers that be –dont have forethought
@terry Yes they could be but are not cost effective in that manner. Overseas in a hostile environment it's a different situation. You have lots of land bases to operate from, over there .... nothing but water. Also the military is only allowed to do so much regarding civilians. IF we put military on border and got rid of border patrol, yes you could if you could justify the cost.
Thanks everybody, that helps. I believe the Coasties have the exemption, as the only branch of the military that can arrest civilians outside of Marshall law. I will look up the law and post it tomorrow. This type of base, plus the use of the Osprey aircraft would be a dream for the Coast Guard. Would use of Navy ships but under Coast Guard command be a reasonable alternative or am I being naive? The budget cuts to the Coast Guard have restricted the Coast Guard's modernization–it seems this would help matters. The ships could be returned to the Navy in the event of global war...this was done during WW1 and WW2? Thanks again everybody.
Be it 'coasties' or Special Forces 'A" Teams -----they need to be able to defend themselves with any means necessary ----and have the ability to do whatever it takes to apprehend
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 restricts military operations to include civilian law enforcement actions outside of a national emergency (Marshall Law), although the U.S. Coast Guard is a branch of the United States military the U.S. Coast Guard is exempt from the Posse Comitatus Act unless it has been transferred to the Department of the Navy by an act of Congress or by a Presidential decree. Allow the U.S. Coast Guard the ships, barges or whatever, train them to defend such bases and I cannot help but believe they could be very useful in a variety of Coastie missions particulary drug interdiction.. I know the HITRON units use the formidable Stingray attack helicopters. The problem may come in finding enough U.S. Coastguardsmen to maintain the vessels. I believe the largest cutters in the U.S. Coast Guard fleet have less than 150 on board. So that may be a problem... If we are having these budget cuts and the U.S. Navy ships are just sitting in dry dock...wouldn't it solve several problems to allow the U.S. Coast Guard there use, the ships could revert back to the U.S. Navy in an emergency? The appeal of an Afloat Forward Staging Base for U.S. Coast Guard operations just seems like it would be a perfect fit, especially with the budget cuts to the military. Just an idea, thank you everybody.
Not cost effective for local waters. The Spec Ops base ships uses the same principles as Aircraft carriers. They can be staged in international waters without permission. For Costal US operations, it's far better to use land based areas for logistics.
Thank you Rick from LA. I did not realize.
Couldn’t similar vessels placed at strategic points, such as, the waters outside of San Diego CA, New Orleans LA and Jacksonville FL better co-ordinate both the U.S. Coast Guard’s air sea rescue ,and anti- drug operations? Putting at least one U.S. Coast Guard HITRON unit on each vessel, would significantly reduce the maritime drug smuggling into the United States, as well as, provide far greater logistical air-sea rescue options...
What would significantly cut down drug smuggling is only one thing. Americans should stop using dope. Simple solution.
MMMMMMM A better solution ---- legalize marijiuana ----make the laws on other drugs more potent --–This will free up police for real crimes --–empty out jails for minor pot offenses - and save a boat load of money
Can i beat up Jake ?????????????????lolololol
MMMMMMMMM Seems like a good idea –As being a target -–that ship will be so well protected it will be like breaking into Ft Knox
I believe that this base once again demonstrates our determination and ability to protect our allies and interests in any region
ooo insightful! stop talking for the sake of talking.
Also its not about determination, every nation is determined, its about $$$. We have it. So we can do it.
I agree...What's the big deal?...Military Sealift Command is Merchant Marine contracts -privately funded to protect our shipping interests in time of war...We are only responding to Iran's threatened closure of the Strait of Hormuz...sends the right message..."Aging Ship" -HAH!... the Ponce isn't some falling apart 2004 Toyota import crap...She's Built Like A Brick House...a good going over in the refit yards and She'll serve her country well!... Lawrence&Rizzo reported just the straight news...you ought to read the article again for what it says...
This is not a big deal...The Ponce, LPD-15, is an Amphibious Transport Dock and was designed to support operations of landing craft and shore assault by Marine and special ops forces. Navy Seals are special ops and are trained to operate from platforms such as the LPD. As far as refitting goes, it appears to be a normal pre-deployment inport "fix what's broken" and paint job.
How about that! Now everyone knows where our SEALS will be based.
In a more serious tone, we should not waste all that scrap metal. Melt it down and
build our rusting bridges with it. It seems the 60 some years old stuff that we built
during WWII era are tumbling down, everywhere. Maybe it's time.
No matter what you do, the US is on a downhill slide. The Prez is controlled by the Senate which is controlled by Aipac. The elections that come up every 2 years is only a show of democracy. What the populace is doing at these elections is ratifying the ambitions of Aipec, and for most americans that is good enough to cry "patriotism and democracy".
no matter what you do, its too late, you will always remain a simpleton obsessing over jews in your closet. ever think of changing your racist mantra?
This information is disinformation.
Please note that the U.S.S. Enterprise is also to be deployed there as its last mission before decomissioning. The recent service life extension plan confirmed that some age issues could not be remediated. The ship's reactors must be removed on decommisoning and this result in the removal of the flight deck, hanger deck and platform deck to access the eight reators. The Navy admits the Enterprise cannot be saved as an historical ship and this has upset many in Congress. There are other ships being sent there that are at the end of their service lives. I will not speculate on what this means but I have noticed a new crop of sabre rattlers in Washington not seen since 1965. I have also noted the reticence of Europe and Russia on this matter. We may be alone,again. Pray the plan works for us.
Reticence in Europe is an understatement. Europe has played the game with the US for too long. They have implemented embargoes upon embargoes on some countries, which actually affected their economy. The missed opportunities by the Europeans is what the US was planning. If the US is stagnant because of mismanagement, why stand by and see other countries creep up to your economic status? Stagnate them also. And the Europeans were too busy sucking up to the usa to even see the outcome. Three years Japan was roaming the world to buy LNG after the embargo on Iran. I suspect they got it from Russia. That, in turn, builds up Russia or whichever country they bought it from. South Korean companies suffered, Italian companies suffered, French companies suffered because their governments were licking asses to have a chance to be invited to the white house and have a photo op. Indian Prime Minister sold out the viability of India, just for a dinner with the bushman.
you appear to hate everyone but muslims. sounds like you wrote the arab/palestinian anthem: "woe is me, woe is me, everyone but muslims have caused their misery"
"woe is me, woe is me, everyone but muslims have caused their misery"
woe is me, woe is me, everyone but muslims have caused MY misery.
If you gonna quote Rick, get it rirght!
if American be afraid of them I dont think We can talk out loud. whom has said In God we trust .
Fear not that this vessel will be a sitting duck. All is needed now is to paint the ship red and let it conduct its operations with a Chinese flag.
if special forces will be takingbase on this ship is it a good idea to have it on cnn so the enemys can tell what were doing?? no its not!!
I doubt that the picture will be that actual ship CNN is just using it as a filler.
true
Sitting Duck? you do know this ship has it's own propulsion system and defenses. If it wasn't cannon fodder before, after the refit with new modern systems, it will most asurredly not be cannon fodder after. This ship was designed to launch marine expeditionary units, now it will support special forces.
To all those that think this is a bad idea. Consider that This ship has been requested by the command. Next...its mobile. After that consider the tactical advantage of having assigned teams to destroy mines in hormuz. The gulf is a big place and this ship can be identified as just about anything...cruiser, destroyer...supply ship. It can move freely within the gulf with a carrier group in safety and conduct operations as needed when needed without needing a land base to secure. The gulf is a big place and can serve as a nice buffer zone. Why are these things so difficult to understand for average americans? Dont you people try to learn what goes on in the world?! ...Strike that, you dont rate.
I see what you write, but all I understood was "excuse excuse excuse, muslim sympathy". Now be a real American, bomb the mines, bomb iran, drive the boat back home and use the parts to build me a McDonalds, not enough in my town, I have to drive 1 mile to the nearest one.
Meanwhile, back at home, Harlem needs to be fixed, the Mississippi delta needs atttention, New Orleans needs attention, Detroit and Cleveland are two industrial wastelands that you can buy a house and land for less than the cost of a used, battered trailer in Canada or Mexico. All those high rise windows that were installed in the '50's will soon become loose from their rusted anchors...and the beat goes on...and the beat goes on!
Ram ---since when does the Govt repair privately owned buildings ---–thats the land lords job ----Small govt is what we need ----- Keep the govt outa it ---things work better
If your neighborhood or any other needs fixing...... get off your couch gather your friends and some tools and go fix them!
Yes we can be isolationistbut when we use 30% of the world's resources, we have to continue to be the world's policemen. Underneath it all it would be nice to use old fashioned American ingenuity and be able to invent avenues to self reliance.
You should write a song with those words
h
All the pieces are set for an idiot to start WW3.
Seems kinda dumb to advertise what it's gonna be used for. You're asking for it to be a target now..... Dumb...
Agreed, now that ship is going to be target one. I only hope they don't deploy team 6 on it.
So, then you have to decide whether the announcement is just "dumb" or some sort of disinformation(or someone reply, add other realistic mental scenarios).
Then you have to decide how scared/shocked you are about such mortal stupidity/dumbness or whether you are shocked/knowing/surprised/scared about the disinformation's origin.
Neither path has an end, but they still end.
Could be the point precisely.
By the way, who is this Jake asshole?
I would suggest that we use these floating bases to completely eradicate any raghead nations that try to bother our brave soldiers.
It was your brave soldiers that delayed the landing in France in WWII by one full day because of bad weather, this endangering the lives of the parachuters who landed in the guts of France, while the British and Canadians went ahead, despite the bad weather and led the way. Such bravery can only be found in american soldiers! And americans believe that they won the war and saved the world.
I was talking to "jake"
Who would take the American forces' place then, UN? Saudi Arabia? Get real, everyone else doesn't like the US because we have the balls to get out there and do what has to be done
This is the SMARTEST move I've seen in this Straits of Hormuz crisis. These "old Amphibious Assault ships were the command center of the landing force. They also served as 1st supply for beach head. They can operate independently for extended periods. The ship is hollow down middle from stern, it was a gate/door that it can open in stern. Combined with ballasting they "well deck" becomes your own private protected beach. Combined with the ability to ballast up to about 16' min draft, they can go just about anywhere. With a helo deck. Close aboard defense system. It instantly becomes a portable non-fixed Special Ops Command and Staging Platform/Base. The best part is complete security......
Deploying to a mid=eastern straits near you.......My guess June/July.....
Very smart move with a most versatile platform, The Navy used them to deliver Death to the shore in the form of USMC/SEAL warriors for many years. With lights out at night in the middle of the Ocean while in the nets around the flight deck You will be in awe of how full a star filled sky is without the light pollution. As we become such small men when the mystery is before us. Population is the issue really, correction is coming soon.
Observation bridge is better place to see stars. Has 360 visibility.
..all paid for by Yuans. Do you know what happens whan you blow you money buying the most up to date cars and tv's and do not pay your mortgage?
OK First of all this will take at least a year to refit. After that it will go were they want it to. The Iranians know we have subs all over the world, but not exactly were. Good job getting the news out there!
Contract say delivery to mid east early summer.
A big stick is useless if they don't know about it......
The U.S. Military is the "Big Stick", not a single unit or vessel, aircraft or base. And once in a while it is good to have an "Ace" up your sleeve.
Seal Team 6 is getting way too much publicity and credit. Neither is good for the long haul. This leaves themselves and their families at a greater risk.
How about just having the USA getting the hell out of there and stop bullying the crap out of any country that they cannot turn into a lapdog. Folks, wise up and smell the roses, the USA is on a downward slope and the rich and greedy have it well oiled for the peons which sound like most of the above.
Thats the American spirit! The door is always open! You may leave whenever you like!!!!!!!! Have you no pride? For those I love I have sacrificed!!! What have you done?
What a great use of an aging vessel , seems like sound economics . As far as announcing it , we are not a terrorist group that needs to sneak in with bombs strapped to women and children . What it seems to say ( very boldly ) is here we are and this is what we're doing ! It's a sign of strength and confidence . Especially with the operations they have already been performing . Besides , do we really believe they will not notice ?
well if you want people and nations to notice something up front and open it would have been the missile drill with israel , but that was canned . this tug is a scam .
Soon Israel will have the promised land and there will be a large harvest of Arab souls. Then mass starvation if you 're not super rich in your safe haven.
ok whats next , were going to attach scramblers to homing pigons to crap out the radar sites. this is funny
ever since the jews taken the palestinian's land almost 60 somthing years ago, I hold the jews reponsible for staring all these wars for their gains only. And they about start anothe war with Iran..
The Jews owned that land for centuries until the decadent romans forced the out. It's theirs.
Delgado makes one of the dumbest arguments for the Jews that I have heard for awhile. Continuing that logic, the American Indians own the US and Canada and not to mention Spain and Portugal in South America. Use your head Delgado.
It's also the Jews fault that the middel east is 800 years behind the rest of the world. The all powerful Jew. The one that controls the rest of the world.....Russo, you're a moron.
The Arabs attacked Isreal first! That land was taken in a time of war and occupied as a buffer from muslim agression! You should do your history homework!!!!!! Not to mention that land was promised the isrealites by god in the bible long before the creation of islam!!!!!
Isreali's attacked 1st in 1947 when the UN was going to establish 2 countries. Palestine and Isreal. After the Isrealis wiped out the palestinians the UN only reckognized Isreal. The 3 wars that followed were started for various reasons. the 1st of which was the 3 day war which Isreal attacked 1st without warning and claimed territory that doubled the original size reckognized by the UN, the last was because Egypt wanted the Suez back, and they did get it. Make no mistake is was Isreal that started the wars in the 1st place.
MMMMMMMMMMMM No Jew ever shot at me ---but manyyyyyyyyyyyyy Muslim types have
The Iranians aren't going to mess with us. They have too much to lose. But then, they could be listening to a Farsi rendition of that 70's song, "You And Me Against The World". The world is getting smaller, you can't do the things you used to do and get away with it. I am sure that all of the people in the Iranian bureaucracy seen the pictures of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Is it worth it or do all those people in positions of power REALLY going to sacrifice their privileges for 72 virgins in paradise–maybe??
You R right, The US had the bomb, but not the japanes, what If japan had the bomb too ?.. could US still bomb japan ?..The answer would be no.Tha's the case with Iran, IF they do develope the bomb they will be respected.
Correct!
never assume anything like that from a middle eastern country. American troops have been all over Afghanistan for over 10 years now and 90% of the people in Afghanistan couldn't identify the September 11th attacks when shown photos and had no idea what it was. I think several of the candidates right now are a little too eager to ram heads with Iran. The frail Iranian government is eager for conflict in order to get support from its people. Support the Iranian people. The best way to resolve this issue is to make the Iranian government look bad in any way possible. The people have revolted before. When the sanctions bite hard they will rally. This is when you pour gasoline on the fire
well i would guess that there would be a major support group in the area , sounds ok . nothing like owning the foes mind rent free. but i think it is a ploy , i think they are going to paint this tug hunters orange with out anyone on board, this tug is going to go through the stait of stability at witch the iranians will blow this thing out of the water and save obama from scraping it and obama will have a reason to start the end of iranian nukes. personaly i do not think they should paint it until it is over there .
I really do not think it is the desire of President Obama to start a war with Iran! I don't think they are wanting to sneak in at all and announcing it is part of their strategy. I also don't think CNN is breaking news without having been told this is going to happen, ie: being told means tell it !! Also, I am not sure that sneaking is as easy as it use to be with all the satellite and even on-the-ground technologies that they most likely have as well. I'm sure we don't know all that goes on but know what they want us to know and now us includes the world.
CNN did not break this news. It was public at least 36 hours before they reported. CNN is good BUT........it's filtered news. It has to be. There are MILLIONS of new news articles a day. CNN only reports a small percentage. If a story gets NO interest anywhere else. CNN will most likely not report it. CNN is a for profit corporation after all. If a story has no following then there is no profit in reporting it.
THIS is not news.
A new class of combat ship created in 6 months, from a recycled Korean War era leftover IS news.
So much for the element of surprise.
The surprise is in what it does not that it's there.
Nice job CNN, now Iran knows what's coming. If this floating base gets sunk I put the blame square on you, pinheads!
do you think our government is that stupid they wouldn't just announce where they plan to stations some of there most valuable and secretive forces. dont believe everything you read from the media
Can iran do that? How come our country has a lot of problem aside economy
Well, that idea is now worthless.
Every time someone in the DoD or media talks about this, it helps build a better picture for those who wish to do us harm. I hope they are happy with themselves.
Just what I was thinking. It's tough to have a secret commando ship after advertising it so well. Now everyone will be tracking it and reporting it on the news.
So explain how leaking this info will harm the overall mission? The enemy knows that 24/7 365 that we have NAVAL ships filled with Marines patrolling the Med and Pacific yet that seems to still be a huge deterant. Civilians really shouldn't talk about things involving the military since most of the time you really don't have a clue as to what your talking about.
Now there's something that makes sense but why just one, a base that can get up and move several of them would be a real headache to keep track of.
The more targets, the better.
Who is going to target this vessel and with what type of munition? Do you also think that this "base" would have zero defense systems and no type of esscort? Do you have a clue as to what your talking about or have you never served in the military and just watched a bunch of movies to become such an expert?