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Andy Garcia and Don Cheadle will be among the other actors who will meet, eat and talk with the military personnel.

Ocean's Eleven, made by Traffic and Erin Brockovich director Steven Soderbergh, is a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack classic.

The film's producer Jerry Weintraub said he wanted to take "a little bit of home" to the troops in time for Christmas.

I called President Bush... and he said he thought it was fantastic

Jerry Weintraub Film producer

"We really wanted to do something for these kids. We can pat them on the back, sign autographs and tell them we care."

Mr Weintraub is a friend of George Bush, and the plan got personal backing from the President.

"I called President Bush... and he said he thought it was fantastic.

"He made a call and two minutes later I got a phone call from the Pentagon and we got the ball rolling."

'Harm's way'

Film-makers came up with the idea while trying to decide how to launch the movie, Mr Weintraub said.

"We were talking about doing a premi�re in Rome or Paris and I said, 'I've got a great idea. We've got troops over there in harm's way. Why don't we go over there and show it to them? To hell with the press.'"

Geri Halliwell performed to UK troops in October

The troops will be given a DVD copy of Ocean's Eleven plus other films, while DVDs of the movie will also be sent to 11 US warships.

Film company Warner will pay for the trip, which is expected to last several days.

"It won't cost taxpayers a thing," Mr Weintraub said.

Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell recently came in for criticism over a fee of "tens of thousands of pounds" for a performance for UK troops in Oman in October.

She and chart band Steps put on a show at a desert military base.

Ocean's Eleven is released in the US on 7 December and is due to appear in most other countries at the start of 2002.