Hot off the presses: USS Nitze, (DDG-94) harassed by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fast-attack boats in the Strait of Hormuz (SOH).
Unfortunately, this isn't anything new. The Iranians have been a thorn in the US Navy's side since the Iran-Iraq War. They've upped their saber-rattling over the past ten years or so, mainly in the waters of the SOH, but in the Gulf as well. And we've had to adjust tactics- new pre-planned responses, manning gun mounts during the transit, and bringing online automated 25mm guns and the Blk-1B Close-in-Weapons System: (CIWS) with optical and infra-red sights.
And yes, in case that ship name sounds familiar, it's that Nitze, which you've heard about here before. Sarge's Son - The Naviguessor - served aboard Nitze as his last ship in the Navy, as a matter of fact, he's a plankowner.
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| USS NITZE |
Here's the report on Nitze
And then today, Squall and Tempest:
"Just one day after video emerged of Iranian ships swarming and harassing the USS Nitze, Business Insider has confirmed a separate incident on Wednesday involving the USS Squall, a coastal-patrol ship, in the northern Arabian Gulf."
"Ultimately, Squall resorted to firing three warning shots from their 50-caliber gun, which caused the Iranian vessel to turn away."
I'm not sure why they are being such arse-holes seeing how we just gave them back $400M and signed a very fair (to both sides) Nuclear Non-Proliferation Agreement in last year or so. Part of the legacy of Secretaries Clinton and Kerry!
Man, Blogger really needs to come up with a sarcasm font!
Sort of a rhetorical question there Tuna, they're acting like arse holes because, well, they're arse holes.
ReplyDeleteThis could go sideways in a hurry if we allow ourselves to be conditioned by this behavior. We have to treat every incident as a potential threat and not allow ourselves to become complacent.
This is not good.
Fortunately, nobody is getting complacent, but they are probing us. I'm sure that having one of our ships actually fire on them tends to get the rest of the Fifth Fleet fired up! The Squall CO is probably walking funny today, because of the big brass ones.
DeleteWhy kudos to the CO for firing warning shots? Destroy the vessel, sure, but warning shots? Pretty low standard for a warship IMO.
DeleteNo need for sarcasm font, I got it. Could we just blast the m-fer's out of the water and tell them to fu*k off? Or would that hurt feelings?
ReplyDeleteWhy can't we send them a diplomatic message that says, "Next time we sink your boats, please stop." and then follow through?
Joe for President!
DeleteYou don't want to be rude!
DeleteBlasting them out of the water (or air, for that matter) and telling them to f""k off, has been unpopular since 1965. With my known exception of Col. Olds. I am sure there are many more military guys who have operated in the same ballsy (can I say that?) way, I just don't know about the new "peacekeepers".
Hell, elect ME and I'll not only order those Iranian gunboats sunk, but I'll have them raised again just so our Air Force can fly over Tehran and drop their shattered hulls squarely on the royal palace.
ReplyDeleteAnd not only that, I'll make them pay for it. Wonder what a producing oil platform or two would sell for?
Better yet--I'd have my SEALs capture the Iranian off-shore platforms and GIFT THEM to Israel.
I'm with Murphy's Law, shoot the sweet old boys. Then go and blow up their base.
ReplyDeletePaul L. Quandt
Ah, for a twin Bofors on either side of the ship! BONK!BONK!BONK!BONK! Problem solved.
ReplyDeleteNot only are they setting us up, but when they pull the trigger they'll hoist us on our own ROE and pre-planned maneuvers. We'll lose hulls and sailors and pay out even more money.
ReplyDeleteEncyclopaedia Galactica, Fourth Edition, Betelgeuse Press 2380: United States of America, Earth/Sol, 1776-2017: WTF? SMH. Face-palm.
The one thought that kept coming to mind is that seems so much more efficient than the ol' 5"/38 twins on the Gearing Class.
ReplyDeleteIt's time to start sinking them... They know what the standoff is...
ReplyDeleteRadar and laser and infrared, oh my. We had a grease pencil for laying down sterno and a depressible reticle. I think the reticle was depressed, too, like most of us who couldn't get the job done without accommodating McNamara's ROE.
ReplyDeleteDave/
DeleteWe used to think McNamera's ROEs were the worst, but from what I've read Obama is in a dead heat with dear ole Bob for across-the-board ROE asininity..