I wanna know more about these seemingly ineffective antiship missiles. Are they just crap, or are the Houthis having fuze troubles, like the Argentines and their Exocets? Not complaining, but it seems like a lotta hits for thus far not much payoff.
CDR - Another piece to the puzzle, from National Review today: "Why is it that only the Carney is doing the work? I couldn’t say. The venerable destroyer is part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, so presumably, other hulls are nearby. However, after a quick search, most of the strike group is visiting Souda Bay, Greece, catching some rays and chilling on the beach, while the Carney sweats it out dodging missiles in the waters between Yemen and Somalia."
This is merely the newest iteration of the "Barbary pirates" and with the same motivations, and we should treat them much as we did 200 years ago; wipe out the pirates, and their bases, and sink their ships. This would have been the proper role for the old Iowa class battleships but there's nothing available like them now.
Full concur on the need to establish a tender capability for DDs and such. Even if we can't restock VLS underway, an ability to do so alongside at anchor would be a vast improvement over having to return to specific ports of supply. VLS is the original mission/payload module. Let's start acting like it.
Politically, it continues to astonish me that Americans are held hostage, after other Americans were slaughtered and abused, and the White House has been virtually silent on the issue, indeed, all but siding with the offenders.
And as a part of this larger war, our White House considers this campaign against freedom of navigation and shipping, as well as routine attacks on US warships by a known proxy, to just be a day ending in 'y.'
All this happening, while the administration pursues Iran as a 'partner' in some supposed peace process for the larger region.
It simply boggles the mind.
Back to the point- BZ Carney for some exceptional performance, and the fleet and institutional Navy needs to sit down every member of that crew and debrief them for lessons learned.
"our National Security Advisor had about as much of a 180-degree lockoff from a proper assessment of the situation as can be. From Kabul to Gaza, generations of national security professionals will study NSA Sullivan’s serial incompetence, and leadership professionals will try to understand the complete lack of accountability from his boss.
Edit: Please update to include the Houthi and Iran. Are they going to send another check and beg them not do anything else?
Are they taking out the missiles/drones with gunfire or missiles?
Next UNREP available date will be ???
Why do we not have a second DDG/CG on station instead of depending on one ship "in peacetime" having to be on watch 24/7? (Yeah, I know the answer- we don't have enough ships. Isn't this close to shore stuff- and if so then we should send ever LCS there to at least be a missile sponge or try to hit something with their 6 pounder pop-gun or tiny missiles.)
The U.S. must NOT be the sole guarantor of freedom of navigation, or suppression of piratical activity. Yes, the launch sites and weapons stores must be eliminated with extreme prejudice. But, as a combined operation, preferably with middle eastern partners who damn well should have some very real concerns about freedom of navigation and piracy. And striking those sites must not be followed up with ANY attempt at "nation building" or a single dollar for relief or rebuilding. Collateral damage will happen and it will be the sole fault of the Houthis and their puppetmasters.
Yemen is either complicit with the Houthis, or is not in control of their territory...Either way, a US Naval Ship is an act of war: Every time a missile is launched we should respond - with a TLAM, a B52 bomb box, whatever..
Let Yemen gain control, or get a government that will.
I was wondering what will be opening salvo of 2024, and this topic seems like a good candidate.… I swear, we live in a strange world. Every single year since 2020 started with a bang, and I don’t expect 2024 to be different.
What hulls do we have to convert/build/modify to make a decent Destroyer Tender? Bigger problem I see is where are you going to get a crew for these new tenders? You could strip the pentagon but I doubt ADMs will make good sailors.
Bigger question is where are good ports in the area to do a reload? Jeddah, Elat, Djibouti, Bahrain, ... ?
I’m trying to post the classic Seabee photo. “The difficult we do immediately. . . “
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/The_Seabee_expression.jpg
I wanna know more about these seemingly ineffective antiship missiles. Are they just crap, or are the Houthis having fuze troubles, like the Argentines and their Exocets? Not complaining, but it seems like a lotta hits for thus far not much payoff.
CDR - Another piece to the puzzle, from National Review today: "Why is it that only the Carney is doing the work? I couldn’t say. The venerable destroyer is part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, so presumably, other hulls are nearby. However, after a quick search, most of the strike group is visiting Souda Bay, Greece, catching some rays and chilling on the beach, while the Carney sweats it out dodging missiles in the waters between Yemen and Somalia."
Time for the Carney to go off station, and sink anything with an Iranian flag.
Capture pirates and hang them?
This is merely the newest iteration of the "Barbary pirates" and with the same motivations, and we should treat them much as we did 200 years ago; wipe out the pirates, and their bases, and sink their ships. This would have been the proper role for the old Iowa class battleships but there's nothing available like them now.
Full concur on the need to establish a tender capability for DDs and such. Even if we can't restock VLS underway, an ability to do so alongside at anchor would be a vast improvement over having to return to specific ports of supply. VLS is the original mission/payload module. Let's start acting like it.
Politically, it continues to astonish me that Americans are held hostage, after other Americans were slaughtered and abused, and the White House has been virtually silent on the issue, indeed, all but siding with the offenders.
And as a part of this larger war, our White House considers this campaign against freedom of navigation and shipping, as well as routine attacks on US warships by a known proxy, to just be a day ending in 'y.'
All this happening, while the administration pursues Iran as a 'partner' in some supposed peace process for the larger region.
It simply boggles the mind.
Back to the point- BZ Carney for some exceptional performance, and the fleet and institutional Navy needs to sit down every member of that crew and debrief them for lessons learned.
Only four DD tenders? How about four per numbered fleet?
Yes, I'll wake up any time now.
This is getting old...one one state declares WAR on another state its
many things..."piracy" not so much.
USN seizing Iranian ships without declaration of war....looks and smells like pirates .
"our National Security Advisor had about as much of a 180-degree lockoff from a proper assessment of the situation as can be. From Kabul to Gaza, generations of national security professionals will study NSA Sullivan’s serial incompetence, and leadership professionals will try to understand the complete lack of accountability from his boss.
Edit: Please update to include the Houthi and Iran. Are they going to send another check and beg them not do anything else?
BZ to CARNEY and crew.
Are they taking out the missiles/drones with gunfire or missiles?
Next UNREP available date will be ???
Why do we not have a second DDG/CG on station instead of depending on one ship "in peacetime" having to be on watch 24/7? (Yeah, I know the answer- we don't have enough ships. Isn't this close to shore stuff- and if so then we should send ever LCS there to at least be a missile sponge or try to hit something with their 6 pounder pop-gun or tiny missiles.)
The U.S. must NOT be the sole guarantor of freedom of navigation, or suppression of piratical activity. Yes, the launch sites and weapons stores must be eliminated with extreme prejudice. But, as a combined operation, preferably with middle eastern partners who damn well should have some very real concerns about freedom of navigation and piracy. And striking those sites must not be followed up with ANY attempt at "nation building" or a single dollar for relief or rebuilding. Collateral damage will happen and it will be the sole fault of the Houthis and their puppetmasters.
Yemen is either complicit with the Houthis, or is not in control of their territory...Either way, a US Naval Ship is an act of war: Every time a missile is launched we should respond - with a TLAM, a B52 bomb box, whatever..
Let Yemen gain control, or get a government that will.
I was wondering what will be opening salvo of 2024, and this topic seems like a good candidate.… I swear, we live in a strange world. Every single year since 2020 started with a bang, and I don’t expect 2024 to be different.
"Make an example of the Houthi. Destroy their capabilities. Embargo their coastline." Amen
Our responses to these and other attacks (Syria)is not encouraging.
Nice, crisp synopsis and analysis. Concur completely. Would that we could install you as Commander of the Fifth Fleet.
What hulls do we have to convert/build/modify to make a decent Destroyer Tender? Bigger problem I see is where are you going to get a crew for these new tenders? You could strip the pentagon but I doubt ADMs will make good sailors.
Bigger question is where are good ports in the area to do a reload? Jeddah, Elat, Djibouti, Bahrain, ... ?