Article

2010-12-09 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by 746 2010-12-09 09:01|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#1 The USN Navy has had a big down on suicide attacks ever since WWII. And with even a suggestion that a potential enemy is scheming such a thing, the USN will burn a little midnight oil to develop "countermeasures".

And the US should be crystal clear and public with its maritime warnings: that an exclusion zone and blockade surround Iran, so that all military and commercial ships, boats and submarines not expressly identified in advance as being authorized in that zone may be seen as hostile and fired upon.

This is essential, as the number of military submarines in the world has proliferated much like battleships did prior to WWI, and it would prove very tempting for many nations to observe the US submarine fleet in combat operations. And other things.

Even the Israelis should be aware that unless they let us know ahead of time, there will be no involvement by them in our exclusion zone, without prior permission.

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-12-09 10:06|| 2010-12-09 10:06|| Front Page Top

#2 Simple countermeasures, you sail within 100 Yards of our warship YOU WILL BE SUNK.

Followed by the Islamonuts simply swarming our ships with thousands of Dingys loaded with women, children, and Burkahed "Martyrs"

Posted by Redneck Jim 2010-12-09 12:16|| 2010-12-09 12:16|| Front Page Top

#3 Slat armor for ships?
High pressure water jets?
Reactive armor?
Wires at neck height?
Daisy cutters?
Gobs of computer-controlled 50-cals along the edge of the deck?
EMPs?
Semi-autonomos kamikazi hover-bots that explode on impact.
Blow up the boats that are closest to other boats and start a chain reaction.
Mine their harbor.
Put a cable underwater across their harbor (but don't count on it working).
Q-carriers.

Posted by gorb 2010-12-09 12:33|| 2010-12-09 12:33|| Front Page Top

#4 gorb: When the USN means it, they don't pussyfoot around. And that can mean gruesome. I gather that airburst area shrapnel weapons are being considered.

My own personal fave would be to use propane bombs, which over water would be "special". Anybody in boats over a half kilometer or better diameter would have something like their lungs, eyes, and eardrums explode all at once.

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-12-09 13:10|| 2010-12-09 13:10|| Front Page Top

#5 Gorb,
how about all of the above?

Posted by Frozen Al 2010-12-09 13:40|| 2010-12-09 13:40|| Front Page Top

#6 how about all of the above?

Yep. And all of the stuff that shows up below, too!

And I also forgot to mention one of my favorites: Flamethrowers at the waterline.

I like the airburst idea.

I wonder how our weapons would hold out if they sent one boat at a time after a carrier.

And they could use the boats as a diversion while a sub sneaked in.

I'll bet they could sell slots of time at the 50-cals.

And how about the electromagnetically propelled stuff, eh? I believe I remember seeing something about the navy working on getting a 5" round to go a hundred miles or so.

Posted by gorb 2010-12-09 14:02|| 2010-12-09 14:02|| Front Page Top

#7 Practicalities. "If you can even see this aircraft carrier, you are not only too damn close, you are targeted and have only seconds to live."

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-12-09 17:03|| 2010-12-09 17:03|| Front Page Top

#8 or just blow the bases to smithereens..

Posted by Water Modem 2010-12-09 19:07|| 2010-12-09 19:07|| Front Page Top

#9 1 man or 9000?

Posted by Skidmark 2010-12-09 22:24|| 2010-12-09 22:24|| Front Page Top

#10 1. Carriers never travel alone
2. They are not on the outside of the protective circle(s)
3. They are VERY hard to sink
4. If it is suicide the Iranians want, it will be suicide they get. Unfortunately for them, they may accomplish nothing for their suicide.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia 2010-12-09 22:27|| 2010-12-09 22:27|| Front Page Top

23:50 Procopius2k
23:40 Procopius2k
23:39 CincinnatusChili
23:22 Guillibaldo Unusing2147
23:20 HEU
23:20 trailing wife
23:17 trailing wife
23:13 Pappy
23:11 trailing wife
22:30 Rambler in Virginia
22:27 Rambler in Virginia
22:24 Skidmark
22:18 rjschwarz
22:03 Thing From Snowy Mountain
22:03 Frank G
22:02 Frank G
21:57 Frank G
21:52 Pappy
21:49 DarthVader
21:47 trailing wife
21:45 trailing wife
21:35 Pappy
21:29 Barbara Skolaut
21:28 trailing wife