Article

2008-09-06 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

US warship confronts Russian military in Poti

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Posted by Steve White 2008-09-06 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 "Naval ships of that class can hardly deliver a large amount of aid"

Dumbass - flat decks and helos, and huge cargo capacity, as well as the C4ISR capabilities are quite good.

We ought to being in an MAU to help "secure" the port. On an LHD. With a couple of Aegis cruisers.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-09-06 00:16|| 2008-09-06 00:16|| Front Page Top

#2 Oldspook: For the benefit of us civilian landlubbers, would you please explain the alphabet soup? Thanks.

Posted by mom ">mom 2008-09-06 00:23|| http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com]">[http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com] 2008-09-06 00:23|| Front Page Top

#3 A translation for Mom:

"Do you feel lucky, punk? Well do ya?"

Posted by Seafarious 2008-09-06 00:28|| 2008-09-06 00:28|| Front Page Top

#4 It looks likea flat deck but it's not.

Posted by .5MT 2008-09-06 00:33|| www.cybernations.net]">[www.cybernations.net] 2008-09-06 00:33|| Front Page Top

#5 I figured the general context was "go ahead; make my day." But what's an MAU and an LHD?

Mega Atomic Up-smasher?
Long-range Hammer of Doom?

Posted by mom ">mom 2008-09-06 00:35|| http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com]">[http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com] 2008-09-06 00:35|| Front Page Top

It's a people ship.

Posted by .5MT 2008-09-06 00:40|| www.cybernations.net]">[www.cybernations.net] 2008-09-06 00:40|| Front Page Top

#7 More space for offices and officers than cargo. Tho I expect it can hear lot's of stuff.

Posted by .5MT 2008-09-06 00:42|| www.cybernations.net]">[www.cybernations.net] 2008-09-06 00:42|| Front Page Top

#8 NEWSMAX > DE BORCHGRAVE - RUSSIA JOCKEYS FOR SUPERPOWER STATUS [return to] + US BROKE ITS PROMISE TO RUSSIA.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-09-06 00:50|| 2008-09-06 00:50|| Front Page Top

#9 Hey mom -- I'm sure OldSpook has a better answer to that MAU -- I'm thinking he meant MEU (and the only reason I know what I know is neighbor Marine is in a MEU. When his Dad told me that, I had to do some "research.")

Here's the Wikipedia "short" description:
A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU, pronounced M-YOO), formerly called Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU), is the smallest Marine Air-Ground Task Force in the United States Marine Corps. Each MEU is an expeditionary quick reaction force, deployed and ready for immediate response to any crisis.

The Marine Expeditionary Unit is normally built around the building blocks of a MAGTF: a reinforced Marine infantry battalion is the ground combat element, the aviation combat element is a composite helicopter squadron, a battalion-sized logistics combat element, and a command element. Troop strength is about 2,200, commanded by a colonel, and is deployed from an amphibious assault ship

And -- LHD, their boat.....
LHD 8 will be a multi-purpose amphibious assault ship designed to transport and land a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), a force of almost 2,000 Marines, ashore by helicopter, landing craft and amphibious assault vehicle. LHD 8 will also have secondary missions of sea control and power projection by helicopter and fixed-wing vertical short take-off and landing (VSTOL) aircraft; command and control, and mission support, including a hospital with six operating rooms.

As Seafarious said, ""Do you feel lucky, punk? Well do ya?"

Posted by Sherry">Sherry 2008-09-06 01:14|| 2008-09-06 01:14|| Front Page Top

#10 C4ISR

Command Control (C2) Communications (C3) Computers (C4) Intelligence (I) Surveillance (S) Recon (R)

MAU - Marine Amphibious Unit (More precise term is MEU, Marine Expeditionary Unit, which includes its own air support)

LHD US Navy Ship, Landing ship, Helicopter Dock, see below (picture)

And not it doesn't really qualify as an "Aircraft carrier", mainly helos, and a few Harriers possibly depending on mission. It carries landing craft (usually LCAC - amphib landing hovercraft) in the "well", which allows them to sail into the ship, and launch amphib assaults from the ship, it can also hold up to 61 Amphibious Assault Vehicles (21 in the deck above, 40 in the well).

Biggest weapons are the nearly 2000 Marines it hauls around.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-09-06 01:21|| 2008-09-06 01:21|| Front Page Top

#11 Goodness I wonder what the Russian forces reaction was as they saw this vessel haul into view. They must have been tracking it, but still, to have been near the port when this pulled in must have tightened a few screws.

Posted by Halliburton - Asymmetrical Reply Division 2008-09-06 01:23|| 2008-09-06 01:23|| Front Page Top

#12 The LHD is what we deployed to help the "Christmas Tsunami" victims. Its hospital and transport capacity from the sea to inland is quite good.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-09-06 01:23|| 2008-09-06 01:23|| Front Page Top

#13 "We're from the government, and we are Here to Help."

Posted by Seafarious 2008-09-06 01:30|| 2008-09-06 01:30|| Front Page Top

#14 Mega Atomic Up-smasher?
Long-range Hammer of Doom?

I hereby nominate mom to head up the next official Pentagon Future Weapons System Naming Commission!

Posted by AzCat 2008-09-06 01:52|| 2008-09-06 01:52|| Front Page Top

#15 The ol' joke, never confirmed (paraphrased):
The big tsunami:
"Why is President Bush sending a carrier task
for? Whats he want to do, attack to tsunami?"

Engineer stands and says, "A nuclear carrier has x amount of auxillerary power, can desanilize x gallons of water, etc."

I'm here to tell ya, all help is appreciated. ~~Our governor didn't know where Greensburg was until 2 days later~~

Posted by swksvolFF 2008-09-06 03:36|| 2008-09-06 03:36|| Front Page Top

#16 "Russia sees such moves as Western encroachment on its traditional sphere of influence."

Russian use of that phrase reminds me of a 'sphere of influence' I created some years ago around a tent when, suffering from a busy nightime case of gastroenteritis, little enthusiasm to walk further than absolutely necessary, and no torch.

Posted by Bulldog 2008-09-06 04:37|| 2008-09-06 04:37|| Front Page Top

#17 He said that the presence of US warships could contravene international conventions governing shipping in the Black Sea

Heh. Look who's fretting about the rules all of a sudden.

Posted by gorb 2008-09-06 06:37|| 2008-09-06 06:37|| Front Page Top

#18 Halliburton...I think it not only tightened screws, but puckered a few sphincters!

Posted by Sgt. D.T. 2008-09-06 10:16|| 2008-09-06 10:16|| Front Page Top

#19 MAU

As a military-acronym challenged, the first thing I thought was, "Marine Ass-kicking Unit".

'Cause, god bless every damned one of them, that's what they do everyday, everywhere, everywho.

Posted by Hyper 2008-09-06 11:56|| 2008-09-06 11:56|| Front Page Top

#20 And may the marines cause a PSUB reaction:

Putin Screams, Upchucks, Bolts.

Thank you for all the explanations.

Posted by mom ">mom 2008-09-06 12:04|| http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com]">[http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com] 2008-09-06 12:04|| Front Page Top

#21 MAU is the result of me being old shcool. MAU(SOC) [Special Operations Capable] was one of the things batted around a few years go.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-09-06 12:51|| 2008-09-06 12:51|| Front Page Top

#22 Now they're MEUSOCs.

Posted by Pappy 2008-09-06 13:09|| 2008-09-06 13:09|| Front Page Top

#23 Ya don't suppose all those intel berths might be hot bunked this trip? Seeing that the Whitney is what it is?

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2008-09-06 16:28|| http://northshorejournal.org]">[http://northshorejournal.org] 2008-09-06 16:28|| Front Page Top

#24 USMC is to Special Operations as UPS is to NASCAR.

Posted by Besoeker 2008-09-06 16:38|| 2008-09-06 16:38|| Front Page Top

#25 What are we confronting? A map on the government of Georgia's website, shows that there are 40 Russian check posts in the entire country. The Russians claim that only 500 activ e troops remain in the country. (Technically true if you don't count between shift troops)

Search "Georgia" "protests" on Youtube and you will find that Georgians are free to protest at the checkpoints. What if Georgians were polled on the issue of close ties with Russia?

Posted by Chuting Dingle8374 2008-09-06 16:47|| 2008-09-06 16:47|| Front Page Top

#26 I thought the whole Typhone in INdonesia proved that American warships are the best way to deliver aid to a region.

Posted by rjschwarz 2008-09-06 19:17|| 2008-09-06 19:17|| Front Page Top

#27 So, how's the weather in Russia this time of year, #25 Chuting? Are y'all wearing coats in the daytime yet? How much is Pooty paying you for your trolldom?

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-09-06 19:44|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-09-06 19:44|| Front Page Top

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