Report: U.S., Israeli warships cross Suez Canal toward Red Sea

Haaretz ^

[jhpigott]

Egypt opposition angered at government for allowing the fleet of more than 12 ships to cross Egyptian manned waterway, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reports.

By Jack Khoury

More than twelve United States Naval warships and at least one Israeli ship crossed the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea on Friday, British Arabic Language newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported Saturday.

According to the report, thousands of Egyptian soldiers were deployed along the Suez Canal guarding the ships' passage, which included a U.S. aircraft carrier.

The Suez Canal is a strategic Egyptian waterway which connects between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

According to eyewitnesses, the U.S. battleships were the largest to have crossed the Canal in many years, Al-Quds reported.

Egyptian opposition members have criticized the government for cooperating with the U.S. and Israeli forces and allowing the ships' passage through Egyptian territorial waters.

They said they viewed the event as Egyptian participation in an international scandal, and added that the opposition would not sit with its arms crossed while the country allowed a fleet of U.S. and Israeli military ships to cross.

[Think free or die]

This is very sad. I had no idea she was in such poor condition. I wonder what the new strategic direction of the museum is that it is ready to abandon the Olympia. I hope the Becuna isn’t next.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Yes. We had to wait for the boat taking us to the Arizona memorial so the Bowfin and related submarine memorials were part of our day.
The circles of stones, one inside the other, each with the name of a lost boat, with the names of the lost crew, were very moving.
One thing I didn’t expect was the US navy officer’s uniform. Black pants, tan shirt and Army style garrison hat...I thought the guy was a Marine.

[ph12321]

Has to be the Harry S. Truman, as its in the Mediterranean, recently left Marseille, France.

http://web.stratfor.com/images/maps/NewNaval_Update_06_16_10_800.jpg?fn=18rss52

[tanknetter]

This is very sad. I had no idea she was in such poor condition. I wonder what the new strategic direction of the museum is that it is ready to abandon the Olympia. I hope the Becuna isn’t next.

We'll have to see. A lot of the ship museums are in really bad shape right now. Patriots Point in South Carolina is in deep trouble. They gave up Ingham last year and the repairs to Laffey (she was closed off because she was sinking and needed constant high-volume pumping and a substantial amount of her hull plating replaced) apparently cost a lot more than expected. Clamagore, their sub is even worse off and there's now talk of the Navy repossessing the Yorktown and possibly sinking her as a reef.

Quonset RI was supposed to get the Saratoga for a museum, but could never raise the funds. She's now been pulled off the donation list and is about to be towed from Newport RI to Philly to prep for sinking or scrapping (Forrestal is due to arrive there today for the same purpose, I believe).

Just about the only big ship museums that are doing well are Intrepid up in NYC, Wisconsin in Norfolk (but the USN helps maintain her) and Missouri in Pearl Harbor. The rest are hanging in there, to varying degrees.

[tanknetter]

Totally agree. There are some very high tech weapons systems aboard the Missouri; our guide stated that she is kept at a "certain state of readiness" whereby she could actually be deployed for battle very quickly. This is not a mothballed ship in the traditional sense. Her engines, systems and guns are ready to go....

I've heard that the guides on the Missouri give that talk as part of the tour as well. She's kept in very good condition, but her systems are decidedly mid/late 1980s, and she's been struck off the NVR for a good number of years. Her name has already been given to a Virginia-class SSN (SSN-780). Even if the USN wanted to bring her back into commission it would probably take a year to 18 months to get her back at sea under her own power, then a year after that (if not more) to train a crew to a decent level of proficiency on the outdated systems.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

There are no locks of the Suez. Unlike the Panama Canal, it’s a sea-level canal.

---

Didn’t know that - thanks.

[Think free or die]

I had no idea . . . we visited the Yorktown over 20 years ago. She was an impressive sight. I can imagine maintenance is expensive, and if it’s been neglected, this is a bad time to find funding to play catch up.

[tanknetter]

this is a bad time to find funding to play catch up.

That's the big problem with ship-based museums - rather than being engaged in continual upkeep (at least to the level truly needed) it tends to be roller-coasterish.

The Texas down in San Jacinto/Houston is a good example. She underwent major hull work (including a drydocking) in the late 1980s or early 90s. But there wasn't an ability to do follow-on work and she's now at a point where her condition is considered worse than what it was back then (and she almost sunk while being towed to drydock).

In the Navy, you see rust on a ship and you grab a couple of the junior deck apes, give them scrapers, some 5-gallon buckets of paint and some brushes, and you have them go take care of the problem. Museum ships don't have that kind of staff (even with volunteer support) so the ships deteriorate until there can be a capital campaign to raise the money for more comprehensive work. Which is what Intrepid (the best of the Essexes) just went through.

[left that other site]

...you should try Jerusalem some time.

Talk about Goose bumps!

[okie01]

Even if the USN wanted to bring her back into commission it would probably take a year to 18 months to get her back at sea under her own power, then a year after that (if not more) to train a crew to a decent level of proficiency on the outdated systems.

Does this not speak for the creation of a class of nuclear powered gunships, armed with heavy guns and advanced missile capability?

Such a vessel would have meaningful value in the kind of conflicts we are now finding ourselves involved in. A "portable" artillery base...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The era of big BBs is over.
Submarines can do everything a battleship can do except pummeling with 16 inch guns with fewer people and more security. Cruise missiles have trumped every surface ship and the Navy knows it.

[Think free or die]

I can see how the neglect would set in. It’s really a shame, because these ships are very educational for all ages, and a piece of our history which would be a shame to lose.

[RainMan]

Cool map.

I was reluctant to say who it was ... OpSec ...

My boy apparantly just left the Mediterranean via the Suez.

:)

[tanknetter]

Does this not speak for the creation of a class of nuclear powered gunships, armed with heavy guns and advanced missile capability?

Possibly. Nuke plants are going to be WAY too expensive, and automating naval rifles above 8" is going to be pretty problematic (the Des Moines got automatic 8" right in WWII, the MCLWG of the 70's was a fiasco) which would mean adding a heck of a lot of crew to a ship that already has to be big and heavy enough to mount them.

The current solution to the "problem" isn't naval gunfire support, but strategic bombers (and particularly B-1Bs) outfitted with JDAMS that are constantly on-orbit over the battlefield. Given that there are limitations to the range of ship-mounted guns (even hypothesized ones employing rail-gun technology), the long-duration bomber loaded with cheap but accurate and effective precision bombs is probably more cost-effective overall.

[okie01]

...the long-duration bomber loaded with cheap but accurate and effective precision bombs is probably more cost-effective overall.

Makes perfect sense. Thanks.

[americanophile]

You never know what the future holds - just go, you won’t regret it.

[GVnana]

US, Israel Warships in Suez May Be Prelude to Faceoff with Iran

Egypt allowed at least one Israeli and 11 American warships to pass through the Suez Canal as an Iranian flotilla approaches Gaza. Egypt closed the canal to protect the ships with thousands of soldiers, according to the British-based Arabic language newspaper Al Quds al-Arabi.

One day prior to the report on Saturday, Voice of Israel government radio reported that the Egyptian government denied an Israeli request not to allow the Iranian flotilla to use the Suez Canal to reach Gaza, in violation of the Israeli sea embargo on the Hamas-controlled area.

International agreements require Egypt to keep the Suez open even for warships, but the armada, led by the USS Truman with 5,000 sailors and marines, was the largest in years. Egypt closed the canal to fishing and other boats as the armada moved through the strategic passageway that connects the Red and Mediterranean Seas.

Despite Egypt’s reported refusal to block the canal to Iranian boats, the clearance for the American-Israeli fleet may be a warning to Iran it may face military opposition if the Iranian Red Crescent ship continues on course to Gaza.

The warships may exercise the right to inspect the Iranian boat for the illegal transport or weapons. Newsweek reported that Egyptian authorities could stop the ship for weeks, using technicalities such as requiring that any official documents be translated from Farsi into Arabic.

The magazine’s website also reported that the Iranian navy is the weakest part of its armed forces. Tehran has already backed down from announced intentions to escort the Iranian ships with "volunteer marines” from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.

excerpt http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138164

[raygun]

So a flotilla of ships leaving the Gulf of Aden and entering the Red Sea are ‘approaching’ Gaza? I guess.

Maybe ships leaving Norfolk are ‘approaching’ N. Korea?

What’s the point of ships passing into the Red Sea from the Med, if the flotilla ‘approachin’ Gaza actually IS approaching Gaza?

Maybe Iran expressed its intention that the destination of the flotilla IS Gaza, ergo passage through Suez will be necessary (which Egypt stated it would not prohibit). To head this event off, a fleet of U.S. / Israeli vessels are headed into the Red Sea for a showdown.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

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[caww]

Wow!....and.. Wow!...... That’s the best news reel video I’ve ever seen of the signing of the Japanes Surrender. I did not realize so many other countries were also represented and signed these documents. Awesome to see and hear this!.....Clarity is excellant!... Thank you for posting it.