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Australian missile defence system repelled Houthis
The Australian ^ | December 2, 2016 | BRENDAN NICHOLSON

Posted on 12/02/2016 4:21:15 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki

The 380 crew of a US warship ­attacked by rebels off the coast of Yemen may have been saved from death or injury by a world-beating missile defence system developed in Australia.

The guided missile destroyer USS Mason was operating in the Red Sea about 12 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen on October 9, when it was fired on by Houthi rebels believed to have used two land-based anti-ship cruise ­missiles.

A week earlier, a similar attack by the Iranian-backed Houthis badly damaged a fast, twin-hulled vessel leased by the United Arab Emirates to transport troops and help conduct a blockade of embattled Yemen.

The HSV Swift was a converted wave-piercing catamaran ferry built by a Tasmanian company and used by the US Navy as a high-speed transport vessel until it was leased to the UAE.

When they came under attack, the crew of USS Mason fired their anti-missile systems, which included three of their own missiles and Australian-made Nulka decoys. The incoming missiles crashed into the sea.

The Nulka decoy is a rocket packed with electronics that is fired by a ship under missile attack. It hovers in the path of the incoming missiles and emits signals that simulate a radar return from a large ship overlapping the target vessel. Once the incoming missile locks on to what it thinks is a more attractive target, the Nulka moves the ghost image away from the real ship and the missile follows it into empty space.

The Nulka was developed by the Defence Science and Technology group of the Australian Defence Force with the armaments company BAE Systems Australia.

The decoys form one layer of the complex defence systems fitted to more than 150 Australian, US and Canadian warships.

(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.com.au ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ashm; australia; decoy; nulka

150424-N-YB590-030 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 24, 2015) - The Naval Sea Systems Command tests the amphibious assault ship USS America's (LHA 6) MK 53 Decoy Launching System,known as Nulka, to demonstrate the ship's layered defense capabilities. Nulka is a quick-reaction, electronic countermeasure decoy capable of providing highly effective defense for ships against modern anti-ship missiles. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Scorza/Released)

1 posted on 12/02/2016 4:21:15 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
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To: sukhoi-30mki

Right on


2 posted on 12/02/2016 4:30:42 AM PST by seastay
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To: sukhoi-30mki

But did they return fire at the missile launchers.


3 posted on 12/02/2016 4:31:37 AM PST by riverrunner
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To: riverrunner
I don't think obama allows them to target muslims.

Come January 21st that will change...

4 posted on 12/02/2016 5:28:44 AM PST by null and void ( If you defy federal law, we deny federal funds.)
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To: sukhoi-30mki

We need to paint one of those rainbow-colored and launch them in liberal areas during election day so they can chase the rainbow instead of voting multiple times.


5 posted on 12/02/2016 5:30:28 AM PST by DCBryan1 (No realli, moose bytes can be quite nasti!)
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To: sukhoi-30mki

Wiki says this event happened Oct 16.


6 posted on 12/02/2016 5:31:16 AM PST by null and void ( If you defy federal law, we deny federal funds.)
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To: null and void

Yes but Obama wanted the rebels to know about the decoys so they could adjust.


7 posted on 12/02/2016 5:34:59 AM PST by AppyPappy (If you really want to irritate someone, point out something obvious they are trying hard to ignore.)
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To: null and void

If I’m not mistaken, there were at least three separate attacks.


8 posted on 12/02/2016 5:36:12 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
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To: AppyPappy
Yes but Obama wanted the rebels to know about the decoys so they could adjust.

Ignorant Muslim savages will not be able to "adjust" to complex radar systems. They are stupid and cannot make such devices. They must rely on people with more intelligence to design countermeasures.

9 posted on 12/02/2016 6:22:09 AM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: DiogenesLamp

They probably have advisers from the countries where they got the missiles.


10 posted on 12/02/2016 6:24:23 AM PST by AppyPappy (If you really want to irritate someone, point out something obvious they are trying hard to ignore.)
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To: sukhoi-30mki
"a similar attack by the Iranian-backed Houthis"

Boy, Obammy's Iranian Nuke deal is really paying dividends, ain't it?
11 posted on 12/02/2016 7:51:52 AM PST by major_gaff (University of Parris Island, Class of '84)
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