US to start guiding ships through Strait of Hormuz

The US plan to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz will involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms and some 15,000 service members, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

Guided-missile destroyers – Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the workhorses of the US fleet, and as of April 24, the US had 12 destroyers in the Middle East, CNN has reported.

Some have been used to enforce the blockade of Iranian ports, but those operations have taken place outside of the strait in the Arabian Sea.

Since the war began, CENTCOM has only publicized two destroyers entering the strait to begin paving the way for minesweeping operations.

Destroyers are also the primary air defense for aircraft carrier strike groups, so not all of them in the region are likely to be used for duty in the strait.

Analysts do not expect the destroyers to be escorting merchant ship convoys through the strait.

100 aircraft – The US maintains a range of carrier- and land-based aircraft in the region. Armed helicopters could fly over ships going through the strait to take out any small boats attempting to block passages. US Air Force A-10 attack jets could also be used to hit targets on the water or missile batteries ashore.

Multi-domain unmanned platforms – These could include aerial and marine drones that could move with ships through the strait or be in the vicinity of it to react to any threats to merchant ships. The drones could be armed or just for observation or reconnaissance, depending on the platform and its setup.

15,000 service members – While this seems like a large commitment of troops, most are likely in support roles and not actually deployed in the strait. There are at least two US aircraft carriers in the region whose air assets could be used over the strait. Each of those carriers has around 5,000 personnel aboard.