NAVCENT Commander: Difficult to Find Houthi Center of Gravity to Hold at Risk

[rangerrebew]

NAVCENT Commander: Difficult to Find Houthi Center of Gravity to Hold at Risk
Posted on August 7, 2024 by Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor
 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Houthi forces who have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden lack a center of gravity, making for deterrence by U.S and partner forces difficult, the commander of U.S. naval forces in the Middle East said in a webinar.

Since November, a few weeks after the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, with cooperation from the navies of several allies and partners, has been engaged in protecting commercial shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from attacks by ballistic missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned surface craft, and unmanned underwater vehicles launched by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

“We have certainly degraded their capability,” said Vice Admiral George Wikoff, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, commander, U.S. 5th Fleet, and commander, Maritime Forces, speaking in an August 7 webinar sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the U.S. Naval Institute and funded by HII. 

“However, have we stopped them? No,” Wickoff said, noting Houthi recent attacks on shipping, one of which damaged a commercial ship. “But our mission remains to disrupt their ability and try to preserve some semblance of maritime order while we give an opportunity for policy to be developed against the Houthis.

https://seapowermagazine.org/navcent-commander-difficult-to-find-houthi-center-of-gravity-to-hold-at-risk/

[Smokin Joe]

Treat any place from which those missiles or attack vessels (manned or unmanned) like the Romans treated Carthage. Sooner or later, it will stop.

[Timber Rattler]

This guy is certainly no Nimitz or King, that's for sure.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

The problem seems to be that this is essentially guerilla war with very long range weapons.   Bombarding them back doesn't work because the weapons are too easily moved.  And they don't seem to have a capital or even HQ to attack.

So the only ways to actually stop this are either ground troops, or heavy airstrikes in which some planes are likely to be lost.

[Timber Rattler]

The problem seems to be that this is essentially guerilla war with very long range weapons.   Bombarding them back doesn't work because the weapons are too easily moved.  And they don't seem to have a capital or even HQ to attack.

So the only ways to actually stop this are either ground troops, or heavy airstrikes in which some planes are likely to be lost.

Or take out the real masterminds behind them, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps.

[Smokin Joe]

The problem seems to be that this is essentially guerilla war with very long range weapons.   Bombarding them back doesn't work because the weapons are too easily moved.  And they don't seem to have a capital or even HQ to attack.

So the only ways to actually stop this are either ground troops, or heavy airstrikes in which some planes are likely to be lost.

Make it unthinkable to host such launches.
Let the locals chase them out or meet their 72.
Guerilla warfare only succeeds when the population lets the guerillas hide.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Make it unthinkable to host such launches.
Let the locals chase them out or meet their 72.
Guerilla warfare only succeeds when the population lets the guerillas hide.

How do you do that, though?

[Smokin Joe]

How do you do that, though?

Pound the living sh*t out of any launch site.

[Timber Rattler]

Pound the living sh*t out of any launch site.

Here's the problem though...the launch sites are tiny and mobile...it's a huge game of whack-a-mole!

[Smokin Joe]

Here's the problem though...the launch sites are tiny and mobile...it's a huge game of whack-a-mole!

Granted, counterbattery launch solutions should be available in short order for missiles. how fast can they drive off? if multiple use sites are identified, drones with loitering capability and weapons might be the solution. If we can do it for artillery (counterbattery fire solutions), we should be able to do it for missiles. As far as manned and unmanned craft, their origins (launch points) should be able to be identified and rendered unsuitable for the next launch, or if multiuse sites, put a reaper up there and wait for the next attempt.
Treat the disease, not the symptom.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Or take out the real masterminds behind them, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Impossible to do that without invading and conquering Iran itself.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Granted, counterbattery launch solutions should be available in short order for missiles. how fast can they drive off? if multiple use sites are identified, drones with loitering capability and weapons might be the solution. If we can do it for artillery (counterbattery fire solutions), we should be able to do it for missiles.

Counter battery fire is usually based off a ballistic analysis of the trajectory of a projectile.  But that only works for unguided munitions that follow ballistic paths from the moment of firing.   Works for artillery rounds, works much less well for missiles because they aren't following a true ballistic path.

The other issue is that, if employed properly, truck mounted rockets and missiles generally aren't in place long enough.  For single launch systems, they're in and out in 30 seconds.  There just isn't enough time. (I'm a former artillery officer).

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Yemen's tribal culture is similar to Afghanistan's.  Yemen maybe even stronger as the central government is powerless to control the tribes. 

This has been the story of the Middle East for centuries.

With the mobile weaponry that now exists, a few scattered forces can wreak havoc rendering large military forces impotent.

One must essentially perform genocide on the inhabitants in order to prevail, the situation that Israel has faced with Gaza.

[Fishrrman]

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Houthi forces who have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden lack a center of gravity, making for deterrence by U.S and partner forces difficult, the commander of U.S. naval forces in the Middle East said in a webinar.

Ummm....
What kind of horsesh** is this?
"Center of gravity"?
This guy's a vice Admiral?

Fishrrman's solution to the problem of the Houthis:
Kill ALL OF THEM, wherever found.
In numbers great or small.
Just start killing them.
Do this until they stop their aggression on Red Sea shipping.

Works for me.

[Smokin Joe]

Counter battery fire is usually based off a ballistic analysis of the trajectory of a projectile.  But that only works for unguided munitions that follow ballistic paths from the moment of firing.   Works for artillery rounds, works much less well for missiles because they aren't following a true ballistic path.

The other issue is that, if employed properly, truck mounted rockets and missiles generally aren't in place long enough.  For single launch systems, they're in and out in 30 seconds.  There just isn't enough time. (I'm a former artillery officer).

Then that gets us back to hunter/killer drones. That's a lot of surveillance, I know, but the next question is one of whether there is any signals traffic and whether upticks can be identified before attacks. I realize you can't intercept what isn't broadcast, but am curious.