Posted on 05/18/2018 11:29:52 PM PDT by ameribbean expat
nearly half a decade ago, U.S. Special Operations Command with the help of U.S. Military Sealift Command began the task of quietly turning a modern roll-on, roll-off cargo ship into a highly customized, mobile special operations mothership and sea base.
*** The question of how a vehicle so big and unique could simply disappear for years on end is what prompted our investigation. Upon reviewing satellite imagery, it was clear that ship left its pier in Mobile sometime between mid 2015 and early 2016.
*** Over the next year and a half, the Ocean Trader's AIS transponder only popped up very briefly on a few occasions according to vessel tracking websites. It called on Gibraltar, the U.S. Navy's pier in Souda Bay, Greece, and IJmuiden, the Netherlands, located at the mouth of North Sea Canal. Beyond these few instances, the ship was a ghost, either not activating it transponder or running under a false identification.
***
With the ability to stay at sea unreplenished for a 45 days at a time, and considering the U.S. Navy's far-reaching logistical capabilities, it's possible that it spent long stretches at sea, only coming into port when it absolutely had to. And clearly, part of the idea behind Ocean Trader is that it won't stick out too much from afar—a wolf in sheep's clothing if you will—but the notion that there hasn't been a single photo published online of it in three years seems very odd. In fact, we still haven't seen it in its final configuration.
But that all quietly changed last January when the Oman Drydock Company posted images of its new arrivals on their promotional Twitter account. One of those ships just happened to be the elusive Ocean Trader.
(Excerpt) Read more at amp.timeinc.net ...
If it looks like a normal RO/RO it isn’t surprising it hasn’t been seen
Loose lips sink ships.
“If it looks like a normal RO/RO it isn’t surprising it hasn’t been seen”
I don’t know. This one looks “shadowy.” :/
“But that all quietly changed last January when the Oman Drydock Company posted images”
Thanks a lot, ya muzzie pieces o’ shiite.
If Obama has had his filthy paws on it, the ship and it's missions are tainted, no matter how noble and patriotic the intent.
Ponder, Comey, Brennan, and Clapper.
Clive Cussler must be proud.
because that probably isn’t the ship
Doesnt look to shadowy to me, just another ship. I suspect that is the goal.
If it flies, floats or flirts it's cheaper to rent than to own.
Or, something like that...
“It’s the ghost ship, Scoob!”
“Ruh-roh, Raggy!”
Our guys (and gals) in that arena deserve all they can get.
I’m hope I’m around long enough to see a SpecOps DeathStar.
?????
Isn’t that where the “Rod of God “comes from ?
Well, it is filthy and doesn’t look as if it’s been cleaned since long before it left port. Simple camouflage.
Nice running rust. You can tell their is a shortage of ‘deckies’ on that tub.
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