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US and Iranian Forces in the Gulf

AP

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007 | 10:53 a.m.

A glance at U.S. and Iranian military forces in the Persian Gulf area.

- Naval: USS Enterprise carrier battle group, plus an expeditionary unit led by the USS Kearsarge and a contingent of about 2,200 Marines. The Enterprise has moved between the Persian Gulf and the nearby Gulf of Oman. Iran's navy is the smallest branch of its armed forces, with several frigates and mine-warfare ships and a few submarines, plus a fleet of armed patrol craft and fast attack boats.

- Army: The United States has more than 20,000 ground troops to Iran's east, in Afghanistan, and about 167,000 to Iran's west, in Iraq. Estimates of the size of Iran's army vary, but a generally accepted figure is 350,000.

- Air Force: The U.S. has about 60 planes aboard the Enterprise and dozens more fighters and bombers at bases in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and elsewhere in the region. Iran's inventory includes not only Soviet-designed planes but also Chinese F-4s, F-5s, F-7s, and US-made F-14 fighters. Iran also has unmanned aerial vehicles for reconnaissance.

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