The Swarming Boat Problem –What Does it Mean? (A threat to our Navy)

Technology and Security ^ | Feb 12 2012 | Stephen Bryen

[SatinDoll]

Kill ‘em all.

[Talisker]

The solution is to promise this if any of these attacks succeed:

And then, if violated, DO IT.

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Our weapons in Egypt will make the entire ME unsafe for US forces.

[piytar]

The solution is helicopter gun ships with night vision sighting. Shooting ducks in a barrel.

The USN probably has other solutions, but as long as they are unknown, they are harder to counter. Remember, loose lips sink ships. Literally.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

How about an A-10 or this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1URyNpiy4xA

[hinckley buzzard]

All this talk about 20mms and CIWS and such is ridiculous. All it would take is a few sets of twin .50 cal machine guns with abundant ammo supplies to take out a bunch of speedboats. I bet the navy has this issue in their vest pocket. .

[Calvin Locke]

I thought the USN had installed 57mm Bofors to enhance/fill in the gap between the anti-missile/anti-ship armaments?

[Mears]

I agree. They should shoot anything that is moving towards them.

[smokingfrog]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU4N-7QhXso

[PapaBear3625]

These boats, which just need a couple of high powered outboard motors, can move very fast. Because they are made out of fiberglass and do not protrude far above the waterline, they are hard to see, hard to catch on radar, and hard to shoot at because they expose very little surface.

At night, the motors on these boats will stand out like flares on overhead thermal imaging. A swarm of Predator-B's, each armed with up to 14 Hellfire missiles, would take them out quickly.

We also have a bunch of Mark V Special Operations Craft (SOC), a fast attack boat that can do 50 knots and carries 4 gun mounts (two on each side) which can be fitted with 7.62 mini guns or 40mm (youtube video

[nascarnation]

Correct. I’m sure if they’re close enough in that those small craft are a threat, there’s going to be air support. Bigtime.

[bdfromlv]

Dont tell Senator/usefull idiot Feinstein.

[Calvin Locke]

.50cal snipers have in their available rounds, one with a ring of RDX.

Not sure if it has to hit something harder than a pontoon to go off.

It worked real well against terrorists hiding behind a concrete wall.

[Pilsner]

I’m sure if they’re close enough in that those small craft are a threat, there’s going to be air support. Bigtime.

Around all of our warships? 24-7? For months on end?

[nascarnation]

Normally they’re well offshore where little craft like this wouldn’t venture, right?

[Ooh-Ah]

A friend sent me this answer:

The 57mm Bofors gun is only on the Littoral Combat ships (LCS). The gun's effectiveness is unproven. The LCS is not ready for deployment anywhere. It is a very large contraption and vulnerable to Iranian missiles and torpedoes as well as swarming boats. The Bofors gun reportedly can fire only a few seconds before it has to cool off. It is not clear why the Navy took a gun that has no track record in any Navy. Certainly it does not solve the swarming boat problem.

[PapaBear3625]

The Navy has a bunch of fast patrol boats (mentioned in my post #11), as well as the Cyclone-class coastal patrol boats:

General Characteristics, Cyclone Class
Builder: Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.
Propulsion: Four Paxman diesels; four shafts; 3,350 shaft horsepower.
Length: 179 feet (51.82 meters).
Beam: 25 feet (7.62 meters).
Displacement: 380 long tons (387 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 35 knots (40 miles per hour; 65 kilometers/hr).
Crew: Four officers, 24 enlisted personnel.
Armament: One MK 96 and one MK 38 25mm machine guns; 
five .50 caliber machine guns; 
two MK 19 40mm automatic grenade launchers; 
two M-60 machine guns.

[meatloaf]

I take it you’ve never heard of night OPS?

[Vermont Lt]

I just posted a similar response on another thread.

The key is to understand the enemy. They KNOW they cannot win. But they know if a carrier is going through the straights, they fire off fifty missiles and send a swarm of boats. The concept is to get one hit. One poke in they eye of the Great Satan.

We have to change our concept of war over there. Sink one ship, and they are the guys who took us on.

And even more, think beyond sinking a carrier. Our smaller ships would not be able to withstand the onslaught.