British Aircraft Carrier Ark Royal Heads for Gulf

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, January 12, 2003

British Aircraft Carrier Ark Royal Heads for Gulf

British aircraft carrier Ark Royal on Saturday left Portsmouth Naval Base in southern England for a prearranged routine exercise that could take it to the Gulf, The Sky News reported.

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British Aircraft Carrier Ark Royal Heads for Gulf

British aircraft carrier Ark Royal on Saturday left Portsmouth Naval Base in southern England for a prearranged routine exercise that could take it to the Gulf, The Sky News reported.

The Ark Royal, the first of a task force involving 5,000 Navy personnel and 3,000 Royal Marine Commandos, set sail for the gulf with 800 crew on board.

Reports said the ship would initially sail to Scotland to pick up munitions before heading to the Mediterranean sea to meet with another 15 vessels, including a helicopter carrier, three destroyers and a nuclear submarine.

The 16-ship task force was due to visit ports in the Gulf in April but could be deployed there earlier if necessary, reports said.

It would be the largest maritime deployment by the Navy over more than 20 years.

Ark Royal's departure came as U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld ordered 35,000 more American troops to the Gulf region, increasing the military pressure on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

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