US admiral plays down reports of floating Gulf base

A top US admiral has denied media reports that an aging warship will be serving as a floating base for special forces in the Gulf, saying the vessel would instead be used to help clear mines. The USS Ponce, a 1970s-era amphibious transport ship, is undergoing an overhaul to support naval forces in the Middle East, said Admiral John Harvey, US Fleet Forces command chief, told reporters Tuesday.
But its primary mission is not to serve as a "mothership" for elite commandos, as reported by the Washington Post and other news outlets. "I think they put two and two together and got 22," Harvey said when asked about the reports.
"It is not going over there as a special operating forces 'Deathstar ...Galactica' coming through the Gulf," Harvey said, referring to a sci-fi television series.
The upgrades to the USS Ponce grew out of a standing request from US Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East, to help with efforts against potential mines in the Gulf, Harvey said.