Posted on 12/21/2011 8:15:38 AM PST by dan_s
A British cargo vessel detained at Kotka harbour has been found to be carrying a shipment of American-made Patriot missiles. According to information received by YLE, the missile shipment originated in Germany and is destined for South Korea. Onboard the ship are 69 of the missiles with their explosive warheads and propelling charges.
The National Bureau of Investigation confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the missiles are on-board the ship.
Officials stopped the M/S Thor Liberty last week as its cargo of explosives had been stored incorrectly. The ship is carrying 160 tonnes of the explosive nitroguanidine. The material is in 25 kg packages. Because of the characteristics of nitroguanidine, the material should be carried in shipping containers.
In the course in inspection, it was aslo found that the cargo included a shipment of military missiles.
An investigation was launched and it was determined that while not contraband, the proper transit permits for the shipment are inadequate or missing.
The incident is now being handled by Finnish Customs as a possible violation of laws regulating the imports of military materials. Customs has requested the Defense Forces for assistance in impounding the missiles until their origin and destination can be confirmed.
Well, finland can use the patriot missiles it got for free..
Pretty useless with the Radars and related gear.
The original patriots with the explosive charge are obsolete junk.
They worked (or didn’t work) like the old “Missile Command” game where they blew up in an area “near” the incoming missile, hoping to ding it with some shrapnel and crash it.
The current kinetic kill anti-missile weapons have no warhead and are much deadlier as they transfer the entire kinetic energy of the missile into the target!
Good question.
...it almost might make one suspect that the missiles were actually bound for Russia...
What Patriot missiles?
Oh, you mean these Patriot missiles.
To do what with? Recycle for scrap? These are Gen I patriots...30 yr old tech.
Often cargo ships pick up and drop off cargo at many different ports along their way, unless you have a full load which goes from point A to point B.
Nitroguanidine. That’s some really explosive guano. You don’t want to see that hit the fan.
I’d bet the same people who launch Qassam missiles, whose guidance consists of pointing it it the general direction of the nearest Jooooooooooos and pray allah wills it to hit something, would be delighted to upgrade to Patriots with the same guidance package.
It doesn’t so much hit the fan as go bat-sh!t crazy...
Hey! lighten up its a xmas gift from Zero to Putin...
Kotka, Finland, is not ‘along the way’ from either Germany or Great Britain to S. Korea — unless they were planning on taking a land route through St. Petersburg, to the Urals and south to Mongolia, which would be difficult for a cargo ship.
*shrug* As long as they don’t find out explosives are made using nitrates extracted from pig poop, it’s all good...
Funny how the correct question makes the correct explanation so easy.
A ship embarking Germany, sailing through Finish waters (northeast) is entering the Artic Sea with only one possible destination - Russia!
You guys on this website never cease to amaze me with the insight you do.
Pretty quick analysis. Frightening.
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