Posted on 07/27/2012 9:00:36 PM PDT by moonshot925
Iran is rapidly gaining new capabilities to strike at U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf, amassing an arsenal of sophisticated anti-ship missiles while expanding its fleet of fast-attack boats and submarines, U.S. and Middle Eastern analysts say.
The new systems, many of them developed with foreign assistance, are giving Iran’s commanders new confidence that they could quickly damage or destroy U.S. ships if hostilities erupt, the officials say.
Although U.S. Navy officials are convinced that they would prevail in a fight, Iran’s advances have fueled concerns about U.S. vulnerabilities during the opening hours of a conflict in the gulf.
Increasingly accurate short-range missiles — combined with Iran’s use of “swarm” tactics involving hundreds of heavily armed patrol boats — could strain the defensive capabilities of even the most modern U.S. ships, current and former military analysts say.
In recent weeks, as nuclear talks with world powers have faltered and tensions have risen, Iran has repeated threats to shut down shipping in the oil-rich gulf region. Its leaders also have warned of massive retaliation for any attacks on its nuclear facilities, which the United States believes are civilian covers for an Iranian drive to acquire a nuclear-weapons capability.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
154 Tomahawks is a very powerful punch and will come in handy against Iran.
Take out their lone refinery, deny their forces and country fuel.take their inadequate air force out, and tomahawk their military big time. Spare their population who are on our side.
Since owebama quite likely fashions himself as the embodiment of the 12th Imam there is no guarantee that he would allow ANY retaliation against the mullahs should a shootout occur.
“Take out their lone refinery, deny their forces and country fuel.take their inadequate air force out, and tomahawk their military big time.”
OK, so we can render Iran’s forces to rubble. Wish we had done this years ago.
But, I wonder what damage the terror cells in the US will do?
They have to cross miles of open water with NOTHING in the way of cover or concealment while closing in on a flotilla of the most heavily armed and armored warships in the world. I don't think I would want that mission.
I don’t know what the terror groups will do but I’m watching my back side where ever I go
There is no reason that the entire flotilla needs to be in the middle of the Persian Gulf at the start. Give the navy some distance, do some overflights with planes, go silent, go deep with attack submarines, and so on
After a couple of days, Iran’s swams will be disabled and the whole aricraft carrier group can move in and clean up,
I wouldn’t be surprised to find the Navy has some
sort of floating Claymore mines that can be laid
by gun or rocket or CBU cluster.
They DO have things we don’t know about...
as the Iranians will find out.
Cut their road and rail links. Blockade their ports. Cut them off.
Spare their population who are on our side.
BS, I don’t believe it.
If they are on our side they sure stay hidden well.
LLS
Think of a naval version of "Pickett's Charge"...
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