The Pentagon is sending the Thomas Hudner, a destroyer, and F-35 fighter jets after Iran tried to seize two oil tankers near the strait early this month.
A senior defense official says the U.S. is beefing up its use of fighter jets around the strategic Strait of Hormuz to protect ships from Iranian seizures.
U.S. Air Force Capt. David Brown, who's an F-16 pilot, said at the Paris Air Show this week that training takes about a year for American military pilots.
One F-16 Fighting Falcon that responded to the unresponsive Cessna made the jump to supersonic speed, though three others were also authorized to do so.
The U.S. military said a Chinese J-16 fighter jet pilot flew in front of the nose of the RC-135 conducting routine operations in international airspace.