How Will Iran's Speedboats Perform Against the U.S. Navy?

[rangerrebew]

January 4, 2020

How Will Iran's Speedboats Perform Against the U.S. Navy?

Better than you think.
by Sebastien Roblin
 

Key point: Iran could put a halt to international shipping in the Straight of Hormuz.


Iran has fielded a variety of unusual weapons over the years: F-14 Tomcat fighters hotwired to fire Russian missiles, homemade mini-submarines, and remanufactured Cold War jets.

In 2006, Iranian television showcased a peculiar sea-skimming flying boat, and four years later Tehran triumphantly announced it had three squadrons of them serving in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. News commentators boasted it was one of the few countries to “design and produce such advanced flying boats,” which is technically true.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/how-will-irans-speedboats-perform-against-us-navy-111026

[PeteS in CA]

Swarms of small and cheap vs. ... what? That bow machine gun is probably .30 or .50 caliber. It might be effective against personnel in a boarding attempt. Against an armed naval ship with remote-controlled-by-radar guns and cannon, no. And AC-130s and A-10s have pretty decent loiter times. And MQ-9s have 14 hours' endurance, fully loaded, so probably 10-12 hours' loiter time in the critical area, depending on where they are based. Once Iran started with more than harassment, taking out their boats would soon be followed up by their bases and building yards going "Boom!"

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Once Iran started with more than harassment, taking out their boats would soon be followed up by their bases and building yards going "Boom!"

That is really our ace in the hole, and Iran knows it.  If worse came to worst and the Gulf became untenable for our ships, we could wreck their shore facilities with stand-off missiles, and then bombing runs once their shore-based air defenses were crippled.

[rangerrebew]

I was recently watching a documentary about modern aircraft carriers in which they have certain defensive capabilities that weren't available when I served.  One was a machine gun of some sort that spewed something like 600 rounds/minute.  I have to believe it would easily hold it's own against the "sopwith camels" of the "modern" Iranian navy.

[rangerrebew]

That is really our ace in the hole, and Iran knows it.  If worse came to worst and the Gulf became untenable for our ships, we could wreck their shore facilities with stand-off missiles, and then bombing runs once their shore-based air defenses were crippled.

I have to believe their ports might also have ships sunk in the channels so they are inoperable.  It is easy to forget about the submarines lurking out there.

[Ghost Bear]

How Will Iran's Speedboats Perform Against the U.S. Navy?

I suspect that they will blow up and sink really well.

[GtHawk]

I suspect that they will blow up and sink really well.

They would keep the SCTV guys real busy with commentary.


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Personally I think we should respond with lethal force if those morons even start to make a run at our ships

[Absalom]

And the point of these brain-dead posts is specifically what? WHAT???
Almost 2,400 years ago Alexander, although outnumbered by some 4 to 1,
handed the Persian Empire it's ass at Arbela and in a half-day, extinguished it.
May I have a list of the military achievements of Persia/Iran since?????

[roamer_1]

That is really our ace in the hole, and Iran knows it.  If worse came to worst and the Gulf became untenable for our ships, we could wreck their shore facilities with stand-off missiles, and then bombing runs once their shore-based air defenses were crippled.

I think I would be looking hard at busting open the Suez Canal and really take away their birthday...

[truth_seeker]

Abadan Refinery

Esfahan Refinery

[catfish1957]

More concerned about their allies the Chicoms.