MISSILES FIRED near US NAVY Ships in the Strait of Hormuz

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• published: 10 Jan 2016
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The US Navy has released footage purportedly showing the Iranian Navy firing unguided rockets in the strategic Strait of Hormuz near the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and other Western warships and commercial vessels. The 45-second black and white video shot from a Seahawk helicopter reportedly shows “fast inshore attack craft” of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard firing rockets close to the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, the USS Bulkeley destroyer, the FS Provence French naval frigate and some commercial ships on December 26. The video was declassified in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. Washington first reported the incident in late December, saying that prior to live-fire exercise Iran gave a 23-minute warning over maritime radio. The US has slammed the unguided rocket drill as “unsafe.” The rockets “passing coalition ships and commercial traffic within an internationally recognized maritime traffic lane is unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law," Commander Kevin Stephens, a spokesman for the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, said at the time. The US Central Command called Iran's actions “highly provocative.” Tehran immediately rejected the US report, calling it “psychological warfare,” saying Iranian naval forces had not conducted any exercises in the Strait of Hormuz. “The publication of such false news under the present circumstances is akin to psychological warfare," Ramezan Sharif, the Guard's spokesman said. On Saturday, in a statement released with the video, Stephens said that despite the “provocative” incident most interactions with Iran forces in the area were “professional, safe, and routine.” Other News The commander of the Navy's Carrier Strike Group 15, based in San Diego, has been fired due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command amid allegations that he used his government computer to watch pornography. Rear Admiral Rick Williams was removed from his position on Friday, a Navy release stated. Williams was relieved of his duties by 3rd Fleet boss Vice Adm. Nora Tyson after just six months in the position "based on the initial findings of an ongoing investigation into the alleged misuse of government computer equipment." Williams was found to have looked at pornographic images on his government computer during a routine inspection, according to The Navy Times source. While this violated Navy rules, the misuse of the computer did not involve any classified material and the investigation is ongoing, the source added. "They have enough information to say it wasn't just a mistake," the source said. "It was extensive enough that they knew it was not just an error." Williams had been the head of Carrier Strike Group 15 since June. Its mission is to train Pacific Fleet Carrier Strike Groups, Amphibious Ready Groups, and independently deploy surface ships prior to deployment. Prior to this he commanded Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific from 2013 through 2015. Captain Chris Barnes will serve as a temporary replacement at CSG 15 until a permanent replacement is named. Williams, who has 16 military awards, is the first senior commander fired since 2013 when Stennis strike group commander Rear Adm. Chuck Gaouette was ousted on deployment in the Middle East. He was accused of misconduct including foul language, flipping off lieutenants, speculation that black admirals were chosen because of their race and sending fellow officers a racially-charged email about a black sailor. The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest, most capable navy in the world,[7][8][9] with the highest combined battle fleet tonnage.[10][11] The U.S. Navy has the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet, with ten in service, two in the reserve fleet,[12] and three new class carriers under construction.[13] The service has 328,186 personnel on active duty and 110,882 in the Navy Reserve. It has 272 deployable combat vessels and more than 3,700 aircraft in active service as of September 2015.[3] The U.S. Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revolutionary War and was essentially disbanded as a separate entity shortly thereafter. It played a major role in the American Civil War by blockading the Confederacy and seizing control of its rivers. It played the central role in the World War II defeat of Japan. The 21st century U.S. Navy maintains a sizable global presence, deploying in such areas as East Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. It is a blue-water navy with the ability to project force onto the littoral regions of the world, engage in forward areas during peacetime, and rapidly respond to regional crises, making it an active player in U.S. foreign and defense policy. The Navy is administratively managed by