WASHINGTON, Sept 12: Some 1,500 US troops were prepared to respond on Friday as Hurricane Ike roared toward Texas, sending US military aircraft scattering to the protection of inland bases, the Pentagon said.

“This is a very broad storm and at this point it looks like it is going to be very bad,” said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.

Plans call for sending the USS Nassau, an amphibious assault ship, from Norfolk, Virginia to the Gulf loaded with helicopters, landing craft and a humanitarian relief team, he said.

Whitman said the military also has identified six bases across the south-eastern United States that will be used as staging areas for post-storm relief logistics.

Four fixed-wing aircraft, and 45 helicopters have been assigned for hurricane duty and 1,500 active duty troops have received prepare to deploy orders, he said.—AFP