Posted on 02/12/2012 5:57:03 PM PST by Hunton Peck
Iran has built up its naval forces in the Gulf and prepared boats that could be used in suicide attacks, but the U.S. Navy can prevent it from blocking the Strait of Hormuz, the commander of U.S. naval forces in the region said on Sunday.
Iran has made a series of threats in recent weeks to disrupt shipping in the Gulf or strike U.S. forces in retaliation if its oil trade is shut down by sanctions, or if its disputed nuclear program comes under attack.
"They have increased the number of submarines ... they increased the number of fast attack craft," Vice Admiral Mark Fox told reporters. "Some of the small boats have been outfitted with a large warhead that could be used as a suicide explosive device. The Iranians have a large mine inventory."
"We have watched with interest their development of long range rockets and short, medium and long range ballistic missiles and of course ... the development of their nuclear program," Fox, who heads the U.S. Fifth Fleet, said at a briefing on the fleet's base in the Gulf state of Bahrain.
Iran now has 10 small submarines, he said.
Military experts say the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet patrolling the Gulf - which always has at least one giant supercarrier accompanied by scores of jets and a fleet of frigates and destroyers - is overwhelmingly more powerful than Iran's navy.
But ever since al Qaeda suicide bombers in a small boat killed 17 sailors on board the destroyer U.S.S. Cole in a port in Yemen in 1996, Washington has been wary of the vulnerability of its huge battleships to bomb attacks by small enemy craft.
Asked whether the U.S. Navy was prepared for an attack or other trouble in the Gulf, Fox said: "We are very vigilant...
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Maybe this has something to do with the little spate of Iranian fishing boats needing rescue recently, or maybe not...
Can we lauch a-10’s from Kuwait or Qatar? They would chop up those toy boats.
The distinction between an Iranian Navy Vessel and a suicide boat is moot, at best. What upper 95%-ile confidence level on the half-life of an Iranian vessel wonst the Shiite hits the impeller. Five minutes?
Cole was 2000 not 1996
There may be some IRGC Quds Corps testing the U.S. response, but most are just broke fishermen.
Its not suicide boats that concerns the Navy. Consider the following .Recently the Iranians demonstrated some technical sophistication. They overtook the guidance system of an advanced drone, landed it and took it as a prize. Doubtful they developed the technology themselves but it is likely it was supplied by the Chinese or Russians. Both want US influence in the area to end. The Chinese have a strategic concern similar to the Iranians. If there were a war between Taiwan ant China, the Chinese would want the Taiwan Strait cleared of hostile naval forces.It would be logical to assume that they developed an effective shore to ship anti missile system. Furthermore they may have sold such a system to the Iranians explaining their recent bravado. Our ships designed for open water combat are in the narrow confines of the Persian Gulf. Israel simply cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran and shooting may soon start. Our ships, brave sailors and marines will go wherever ordered.Just hope Obama is making the right decisions.
This is the result of all those sleep overs in The Lincoln Bedroom during the Clinton Administration. Way to go BJ.
More airliners in the Gulf may have to go down.
u.S. Navy techs test 1/2 second burst mode on Phalanx system.
Anonymous sources inside Navy confirm, yep, that would be suicide alright...
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Suicide boats should work only once. At least they should only work once.
Sort of like “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”.
Sighted Iranian hostile ship Sank same.
I think you are missing the point: they know they cannot win. But if they send 100 missiles and 50 fast boats after a carrier, one might get a lucky hit. THAT is what they are hoping for, it’s counting coup.
We have to change our “concept of winning.”. That is so western. They “win” if the inflict damage on the Great Satan.
As long as they don’t have to wait for the lawyers to respond, our sailors can defend themselves.
Thanks Hunton Peck, and thanks rdl6989 for the other one (now locked). Looks like the Iranians don’t quite count on their missiles and conventional navy.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2845747/posts
Furthermore they may have sold such a system to the Iranians explaining their recent bravado. Our ships designed for open water combat are in the narrow confines of the Persian Gulf...
Good points. Thanks for sharing.
An old coworker of mine used to work where the Aegis systems were built. These systems lock radar on the target and the ‘bullet’ traveling towards it. After so many shots lock on it opens up fully. When they were first tested they couldn’t get past the lock on stage. The targets were wasted just with the targeting rounds.
I wouldn’t worry too much.
HOZE-EM!!! 
No need. The US Navy has learned it's lesson about small boats.
Almost every ship has the Typhoon Weapons System and a Mk-45 or better 5 inch/54cal automatic gun.
Like an Abrams tank gun all of these weapons have motion stabilized targeting via optics, infra-red and in some cases radar.
Send 10 small and fast boats at a modern US Destroyer from 3 miles away and not one will get close enough to do any harm. Send 20 from 5 miles away.
Put some birds up from the carrier and it's like shooting fish in a barrel.
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