Iranian Navy Anounced Plans to Send Warships to Patrol off US Coast

Gyvon

Gyvon

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I suppose they have the logistical ability to do this, if they didn't, they'd have to be stupid to make this pledge. And while they are religious lunatics, they're not stupid.

Given that, I suppose they have all the right in the world to parade front to back outside US territorial waters while playing the banjo. It's not like the US and Iran has a Cold War style naval agreement not to parade too close to each other's territorial waters.
 
Let them have their fun. I'm sure we'll just have a carrier strike group trailing them doing training drills.
 
Gyvon said:
In response, the US Navy said that Iran is welcome off our coast... provided they can even reach the Atlantic.[...]
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quoted for truth.

Such a meaningless and stupid Idea. Like anyone cares where they sail in international waters ... Ahmadinejad must really struggle right now when he thinks the Iranian People would think that would be anything but a waste of time and money.
 
Sure people care. The moment it's off the US coast, it's a threat, and the US will deploy a carrier group to deal with that (hypotethical) threat. So it binds up US Navy resources. That's how the game works, and they know it.
 
nomix said:
I suppose they have the logistical ability to do this, if they didn't, they'd have to be stupid to make this pledge. And while they are religious lunatics, they're not stupid.
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Well they've got the ability to get here. Maybe. Getting back, who knows. :lol:

Wired Danger Room said:
In a demonstration of the latest weapon in Iran?s naval arsenal ? a sense of humor ? the sea lords of Tehran have announced they plan to deploy warships off the U.S. Atlantic coast.

?As the global arrogance (forces of imperialism) have a (military) presence near our sea borders, we also plan to have a strong presence near the U.S. sea borders,? said Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari in the English-language Tehran Times.

Before the Department of Homeland Security triggers Orange Alerts for incoming Iranian dreadnoughts, and the peaceful citizens of Cape Cod and Norfolk head for the hills, Danger Room wanted to bring you this public service announcement. Or, more accurately, a reminder that Afghan opium may have wafted into the hallowed halls of the Iranian Admiralty. The most suitable ships ? that is, those that could survive more than 30 seconds off Norfolk ? would be the three Kilo-class diesel subs that Iran acquired from the Soviet Union in the 1990s.

But these boats are not in such great shape, and assuming they were not badly damaged in mid-ocean collisions with Zionist sharks, the 6,000-mile endurance of the Kilos happens to more or less be the distance from the Persian Gulf to New York. Perhaps the subs could sail to New York, in the same way that those old Soviet bombers could reach the Big Apple ? if they flew a one-way mission.


Considering there aren?t too many overseas Iranian naval bases, or too many nations that would want to be associated with sailing a battle fleet off Boston, this leaves North Korea (wrong ocean) and Venezuela as resupply bases. Venezuela is also run by a dictator equally capable of pretending he has a long-distance navy, and in fact, the Tehran Times article specifically mentions Iranian ships in the Gulf of Mexico.

There are other possibilities, of course. Iranian frigates and supply ship combos have sailed to the Red Sea. Perhaps they could reach the U.S. Or how about merchant ships carrying speedboats with RPGs, that would blockade Houston? Let your imagination run wild. The mullahs and their admirals certainly have.
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They only reason we'd have to send ships out to them is for a rescue mission. :p
 
What about Cuba? Are they friends with Iran?
 
If I had photoshop, i'd probably waste some time messing with posters from this film

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tigger said:
Well they've got the ability to get here. Maybe. Getting back, who knows. :lol:



They only reason we'd have to send ships out to them is for a rescue mission. :p
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If they can manage to get through the Suez canal (and with the current regime in Egypt, it's possible), they might be able to do the stretch in their old frigates. If not, they will need supply ships. Supplying them with fuel should be doable from any old commercial ship, and they can probably afford to get a couple of those. Fill em up with fuel and food, and I think it's plausible. It's hard and difficult, but quite possible.

If they have a supply base on Cuba, it gets easier. In the end, it's a bit of a joke, but I don't think it's beyond them to do it. Keep in mind they have a new class of frigates being built (one ship commisioned), and while Wikipedia haven't got a reading on their range, I'm sure they have a longer range than their 70s frigates, and that might be part of their planning.

On its own, the Iranian Navy also keeps a supply ship, with a range of 10000 nm, about 18 000 km. That should be able to make the hop on itself.

My best bet is that they're planning to deploy their newest frigates with supply ships. Range wise, they could also deploy their Russian Kilos, which in itself is somewhat of a credible threat to US surface ships (diesel subs on batteries are quiet like hell, but then again, I don't know if they have crews that are trained well enough). They might also have a deal with Cuba (and if not, Hugo Chavez and Ahmedinejad are good friends).

It seems entirely possible. Very difficult, and very pointless. But possible. I think it'll all rest on wether they can muster the supply ships they will need, wether or not they can go through Suez and wether or not they have friendly ports to dock at on the way. Even if they go round Africa, they might find someone willing to supply them on the way, I'm not all that sure what friends they have in Africa, but they do have money, so that might help them in some of the less wealthy parts of the world.
 
nomix said:
Sure people care. The moment it's off the US coast, it's a threat, and the US will deploy a carrier group to deal with that (hypotethical) threat. So it binds up US Navy resources. That's how the game works, and they know it.
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Assuming this actually happens the USN will just deploy a few P-3's to keep an eye on them, a Small Boy if they are in the area. A few years ago the Russians deployed a Kirov and some other ships (including a couple ocean going tugs in case their warships broke en route, standard ops for the Russians) the USN just shrugged and didn't do anything special. The Iranian Navy isn't really a blue water force, they are geared towards choke point denial not open water ops.
 
True enough. But it's still a threat. A couple of subs and a couple of frigates, that's a hypotethical threat. Iran wants to show they can do what they want, the US Navy will have to flex some muscles. It's more a question of politics than military tactics.
 
nomix said:
The moment it's off the US coast, it's a threat, and the US will deploy a carrier group to deal with that (hypotethical) threat.
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if they're near enough to the coast to be a threat, they'll be well within range of shore based aircraft, so no, it won't tie up a carrier.
 
Iran can't hurt the U.S. they know this. If they get to close the U.S. Navy can scare them away.
 
nomix said:
True enough. But it's still a threat. A couple of subs and a couple of frigates, that's a hypotethical threat. Iran wants to show they can do what they want, the US Navy will have to flex some muscles. It's more a question of politics than military tactics.
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What are they going to do? Shell Jacksonville with a 76mm cannon? Launch a few of those "Ambassador of Death" "cruise missiles" that looks like a hot rodded V-1? Perhaps they will deploy that brand new "Destroyer" of theirs that is looks more of a DE than DD. I've been following the Iranian military for a few years because every few months they put out hilarious press releases like this for internal consumption that make no sense to anyone else.

The best course of action, if they make it anywhere near the US is to tail them with a P-3 and if/when they break down/ flounder in a storm to helpfully tow them into Norfolk and have a cheer leader squad and several strippers waiting on the pier for them with plates of bacon.
 
nomix said:
Sure people care. The moment it's off the US coast, it's a threat, and the US will deploy a carrier group to deal with that (hypotethical) threat. So it binds up US Navy resources. That's how the game works, and they know it.
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nomix said:
True enough. But it's still a threat. A couple of subs and a couple of frigates, that's a hypotethical threat. Iran wants to show they can do what they want, the US Navy will have to flex some muscles. It's more a question of politics than military tactics.
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The Coast Guard will be the only force doing extra work here.
 
h-p said:
What about Cuba? Are they friends with Iran?
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Cuba and Iran have pretty friendly relations, but Venezuela no doubt has better naval facilities. And Chavez will jump on any chance he gets to play the Anti-American.

Heh that reminds me that Michele Bachmann's crazy ass was claiming that Hezbollah, backed by Iran, was setting up missile sites in Cuba. :rolleyes:

laxmax613 said:
I'm afraid that the Iranian intention is to draw American attention which, in their eyes, will legitimize them as having clout.
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They "win" either way. If we don't put anyone out there they'll claim that we're scared of their glorious, invincible navy. Actually, I guess we'd "win" if (as others have said) we had to help them out. I'm sure some here in the US would bitch and moan about it, but it would be pretty damn funny to anyone with any common sense.
 
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