Quote:
Originally Posted by BudW
Surprise attack, 75-100 speed boats packed with explosives equal to what the boat that attacked the USS Cole had,what kind of damage do you think they would do?
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Your scenario assumes that Iran could find and equip 75-100 speedboats of sufficient capability into the water, all of them manned by crews willing to kill themselves.
But, this is Iran we're talking about, so we'll go on that assumption.
After the USS
Stark, I sincerely doubt that any USN warship has entered the Persian Gulf without anticipating an attack.
After the USS
Cole, I sincerely doubt that any USN warship has dropped anchor in any Middle East or Muslim port without turning itself into the Alamo.
A military journalist recently visited a Ticonderoga-class missile cruiser moored in an Iraqi port and noted that "the huge capital ship bristled with light automatic weapons manned by sailors." and that it resembled the "world's biggest PT boat."
So. Looking at your scenario, is it possible successfully get through a task force of itchy-trigger fingered sailors manning everything from M-16's to .50 caliber to 20mm Phalanx to 25mm Bushmaster to 76mm (100 rounds per minute out to nearly 9,000 yards) to 127mm (pumping out a 5-inch projectile to some 16,000 yards every 3 seconds)?
Especially after the events of the past 2 months?
Sure. Anything is possible. Especially with enough speedboats.
Although, sending such a gigantic group of speedboats will prompt enough of a "Screw this 'warn them off with the loudhailer' BS, hose 'em all and right the f--k NOW!" reaction that it's unlikely that it will succeed.
Their best results would be to use a small group of non-radar reflecting craft, under the cover of darkness, doing whatever possible to minimize their IR signature and using the quietest engines on the market.
"The bomber will always get through"