Video and Photos of those Crazy I-Ranians

Posted By Blackfive

Small craft suspected to be from the Islamic Republic of Iran Revolutionary Guard Navy, maneuvers aggressively in close proximity of the U.S. Navy Aegis-class cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), Aegis-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) and frigate USS Ingraham (FFG 61). All three ships were steaming in formation and had just completed a routine Strait of Hormuz transit. Coalition vessels, including U.S. Navy ships, routinely operate in the vicinity of both Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and IRGCN vessels and aircraft, without incident.

And here is some video footage via the USS Hopper's command deck ("This is a coalition warship. I am engaged in transit passage...":

This is the video that the Iranians are claiming was fabricated (i.e. faked) by the US.

Jimbo's take on those whacky Iranians is a good read if you haven't read it yet.

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Comments

[Some Soldier's Mom]

So which is it? Yesterday the Iranians were claiming, "These things happen all the time and it's no big deal." to today's "You faked the video."

I'm kinda proud our guys showed professionalism and restraint, but there is a VERY BIG part of me that says I wish they would have splashed a few big ones across their tiny bows... But that's just me.

[MaryAnn]

It's a whacky way to push up the price of oil, alright. They're pretty smart, in a stupid kind of way.

[n8]

Hmmmmm, bluffing a suicide attack with your life preservers on... BRILLIANT!

[Kevin67]

Reviewing that footage I cannot begin to comprehend the restraint exercised by the sailors on those ships. I would have thought those boats would be fired upon long before they got that close.

Can anyone comment on the ROE for engaging ships in that type of situation? It just seems like they were dangerously close and that, if they had intended upon attacking by detonating explosives on either side (or both sides) of the ship it could have caused significant damage and injury.

[john Ryan]

The part I liked was the announcement of an imminent surprise attack. Brilliant !!

[jordan]

The Iranian comment yesterday was that it was normal, nothing out of the ordinary. Does the Iranian Navy do this routinely to other sea traffic going through the strait? Is this harassment business as usual, if not against U.S. vessels, but others?

Do we still believe in freedom of navigation and keeping sea lanes open, or is that hopelessly pre-globalist.

[CoonBerry]

During my brief tour in the Northern Arabian Gulf (NAG) in 2003, we routinely encountered this type of behavior from the IRGCN. The brought their little boats out, ran attack profiles on us, and invariably turned away just outside the engagement windows authorized by our ROE...it's as if they knew exactly what the limits were. It probably wasn't hard to figure out as they could see when batteries were manned, un-masked, and then trained....the next step would have been watching rounds in-bound...but it never came to that. This became almost a daily occurrence.

Things have obviously changed - the ROE certainly have because these boats were inside the range we would have permitted, but these ships were also engaged in a different mission in a different location.

I'm glad to see the USN getting this footage out quickly for the world to see and know what's really happening.

[Mr.Sparkle]

You're brave if you tried this in a fighter jet with bombs. You're bloody stupid if you try it in a speed boat.

[Loki520]

I was in the Navy 20+ years. Retired about 3 years ago and I went thru the Straits many many times. Because of the narrow width of this area (as well as Malacca), we always had helo's in the air (with guns mounted), and our shipboard .50's were also manned and ready. I can't comment on distance allowed, but I know that they never, not once, got stupid with us.

Of course, it's different when it's a HUGE carrier and the helo's in the air have their doors open, facing you, and some big "infidel" pointing a gun in your direction JUST in case... he he

What they did do at Malacca all the time was get on the BTB (Brige to Bridge radio used for comm's between any ship at sea) and disrupt it. You'd be on the bridge and all of a sudden the BTB would blare out... "Navy warhip... fucker fucker fucker fucker.... fuckee fuckee fuckee...." over and over... for as long and fast as he could go without catching his breath. One of the only times I ever saw the Chief Signalman laugh....

[Loki520]

I was in the Navy 20+ years. Retired about 3 years ago and I went thru the Straits many many times. Because of the narrow width of this area (as well as Malacca), we always had helo's in the air (with guns mounted), and our shipboard .50's were also manned and ready. I can't comment on distance allowed, but I know that they never, not once, got stupid with us.

Of course, it's different when it's a HUGE carrier and the helo's in the air have their doors open, facing you, and some big "infidel" pointing a gun in your direction JUST in case... he he

What they did do at Malacca all the time was get on the BTB (Brige to Bridge radio used for comm's between any ship at sea) and disrupt it. You'd be on the bridge and all of a sudden the BTB would blare out... "Navy warhip... fucker fucker fucker fucker.... fuckee fuckee fuckee...." over and over... for as long and fast as he could go without catching his breath. One of the only times I ever saw the Chief Signalman laugh....

[Bad Cat Robot]

I would like to suggest the development of some new ordnance to deal with these bozos. Non-lethal, of course, but something obvious and humiliating.
- silly string round. Air burst, adjustable distance fuse. Silly string deploys over and covers target. Also contains a non-toxic, very long-lasting dye for maximum amusement (suggest Coumarin 540 which is also photoluminescent, and can't be removed by washing. You have to wait for your skin to grow out. Never mind how I know.)
-cheap cologne round. Eau de Cathouse, concentrated. Aerosol pellet dispersive cloud to prevent accidental backwash to friendlies. Or could develop formula that requires saltwater to, er, activate.
-mini-mines designed to be sucked up by speedboat motors that detonate if boat is "painted" by the right frequency. Just enough boom to take out the motor and nothing else. Then we could "rescue" the poor abandoned fishermen and "help" them back home. As a humanitarian gesture. We could even give them goody bags! Pink ones, with flowers. And take lots of pictures of the grateful survivors when we hand them out.

[Mr.Sparkle]

The best method would be a sonic/microwave weapon that you could burst/flash a small boat with until it complied