Foolestroupe as to the effectiveness of the super fast torpedo - take a look at it's range. Then work out how the sub, or whatever it's firing platform is, gets into position undetected after having first gathered the information to identify its target.

The presence of assault ships for a blockade??? Not required

All ships mentioned are warships. Where is there logistical support?? Any idea how many replenishment tankers would be needed to keep that number of ships on station??

Persian Gulf itself might be big enough, but it has a number of drawbacks:

- It is shallow, not much too good for those Iranian submarines firing super-fast torpedoes.

- It has a bottle-neck entrance, The Straits of Hormuz, where those torpedoes could be of some use.

- It contains quite a few static obstructions, oil & gas production platforms, that hinder free movement

- It already regularly hosts large numbers of extremely large vessels that would also hinder manoeuvres for carrier groups.

The other explanation for their presence could be a practice for the mass evacuation of US troops from the area in 2009.