Video Of US Iran Navy Stand Off
THE U.S. Navy released video and audio of last weekend’s stand-off with Iran. The video shows Iranian speedboats swarming around three American warships going through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz:
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January 10th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
The incident that took place in the Strait of Hormuz last week should be of concern to the US government and Navy because it would appear that Iran is feeling us out and attempting to view what our responses may be while we conduct standard operations in the Persian Gulf. The issue of the small boats approaching the Port Royal, Hopper, and Ingarham may as a separate incident is not a huge deal, but this the third or firth time in the last 18 months that maritime units from Iran have ramped up the tension in the area. Iran maritime units have made mock runs at US Navy Aircraft Carriers in the AOR with the small boats (FIAC) Fast Inshore Attack Craft, (FAC) Fast Attack Craft missile and torpedo type, and if that’s not worrisome enough they ran a (UAV) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle at the Ronald Reagan CVN 76 five months ago (view on YouTube). The actions of the Iranian forces would indicate that they are feeling us out, and may use this data for future maneuvers against western forces in theater.
When initial press reports of the incident came out last Monday I was shocked at the restraint used by CDR James on the Hopper, not engaging the FIAC. Not being in uniform my thoughts are not qualifiable, but I think they may have merit in the conversation. I believe that “Hostile Intent” did not exist in what I viewed, just poor seamanship on the part of the IRG boats.
This scenario brings out points that need to be brought to the forefront and discussed in an attempt to give true definition to the when do we shoot question. Under the current Rules of Engagement (ROE) a Commanding Officer (C.O.) has the inherent right of the ships defense, but what does that truly mean? If you look at unclassified ROE used for training the ship needs to be fired upon before it can engage a suspected vessel. In my opinion this handicaps the ship from the start. Think about it this way if Kirk Lipold the C.O. of USS Cole had engaged the suicide boat that attacked his ship on October 12, 2000 he would have overstepped the ROE that was in effect. I don’t have the answer, but this gray area of current doctrine needs and should be resolved giving applicable guidance.
I have read and heard broadcasters saying that the IRG boats were not a threat and the Navy could have easily “blown them out of the water”, well I have to say not so fast. Our AEGIS ships like the Port Royal, and Hopper were designed to shoot down multiple missiles while protecting the Aircraft Carrier in a Battle group environment. We build these ships to fight the Russians back in the Cold War, and that was more of an Over the Horizon scenario/requirement. Now we are faced with this low tech threat that come at you with explosive loaded or anti tank weapon carrying FIAC that cause many problems for our line ships. That’s opens a new can of worms, but let it be said that this would not be the slam dunk that some people make it to be………