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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| StrategyPage: Iran's Guerilla Fleet |
| 2006-02-26 |
| In addition to a modest number of seagoing warships, including submarines, frigates, and large patrol vessels, as well a some amphibious ships and mine warfare vessels, the Iranian Navy, and the maritime wing of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, owns a substantial number small vessels. Not just the "official" small craft, but lots and lots of small boats that regularly carry guys with guns. No official numbers are given, but it appears that the Iranians have several thousand such small craft. These range in size from 23 foot long, motorized "Boston whalers," up to 65 feet long, 28-ton MIG-G-1900 patrol boats, with a few old American "Swift" boats thrown in. These vessels are armed in various ways. The tiniest craft usually carry small arms, and personnel aboard have been observed wielding hand-held anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. The larger ones usually have heavy machine guns and light cannon. Many of these boats are fast, some able to make as much as 60 kilometers an hour. These craft are ideally suited to "guerrilla warfare at sea" in the constrained waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, particularly since major navies lack much capability to oppose "swarm" attacks by large numbers of fast surface craft. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #11 Folks, the A-10 is carrier-capable. It's not designed for it, it's pilots aren't trained to operate from a carrier, but it CAN do it - and has. I'd like to see any of these "small craft" stand up to one pass by an A-10. In addition, the Marines aboard LHAs have Cobra helicopters and AV-8B Harriers. These can also operate off of regular carriers, and in a pinch, even off the helipads of Arleigh Burke DDGs. Then there's always the old fall-back: catch them in port with a ton of iron bombs. I don't think Iran's "guerilla fleet" is a serious, long-term threat. It's a one-time shot, followed by a long list of "next of kin" messages to Iranian mommas. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-02-26 23:37 |
| #10 Now listen to me, all of you. You are all condemned men. We keep you alive to serve this ship. So row well, and live. |
| Posted by: Quintus Arrius 2006-02-26 23:02 |
| #9 And what would a frigate going full speed do to a small flotilla of whale boats? PT-109 comes to mind. Ramming Speed! |
| Posted by: Angitch Thuth8830 2006-02-26 22:59 |
| #8 CIWS Just a thought |
| Posted by: Chuque Whaiper2223 2006-02-26 22:17 |
| #7 A destroyer escort won't be able to take out 200 high speed boats without having their Aegis radars shredded by RPGs, HMGs and cannon. Then they become vulnerable to antiship missiles. 1. We're talking warships, not VLCCs. 2. That implies the Iranian boats will get close enough to do damage. The objective is to deal with them from a distance. The helicopters will run out of ammo before they could destroy but a small fraction. Don't discount the helicopter's effectiveness, especially at night and with radar support. Hope the ship's decks are lined are lined with HMGs like the WWII destroyers against Kamikazies. .50 cals and Mk23 grenade launchers were standard armament on the ships I was on in the Gulf. Also the Mark 6 Mod 1 Bushmaster II. Although using ship's power, mounting is relatively simple. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2006-02-26 21:28 |
| #6 Heh. My money is still on the USN. |
| Posted by: Mark E. 2006-02-26 19:19 |
| #5 OHP doesn't have a phased array radar.... doesn't have much at all. 3 inch gun, CIWS and a pair of helicopters a few 20 mm tacked on usually. I doubt they could explain using a Harpoon against a $20,000 target. Still, I figure 3 cannon could likely kill 60 boats before running out of ammunition, the 20mm another 5, don't know about the helicopters. Might be able to run over a few too. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-02-26 15:18 |
| #4 A destroyer escort won't be able to take out 200 high speed boats without having their Aegis radars shredded by RPGs, HMGs and cannon. Then they become vulnerable to antiship missiles. The helicopters will run out of ammo before they could destroy but a small fraction. Hope the ship's decks are lined are lined with HMGs like the WWII destroyers against Kamikazies. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-02-26 12:05 |
| #3 Deal with them using helicopter gunships, same as the last time. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2006-02-26 11:54 |
| #2 But they've got SWIFT boats, and we know how much damage they and their commanders can do to America. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-02-26 11:46 |
| #1 There's just no way we can defeat the fearsome Farsi Flotilla, unless we send in ummm..... a dreaded Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigate. Any still in Commission? |
| Posted by: 6 2006-02-26 11:43 |