Iran threatens action if U.S. carrier returns: IRNA

Reuters ^

[joe fonebone]

if the flight deck is above water, it is operational.. it would be a major inconvienience and/or annoyance, but the retribution would be swift and very painful for the iranians... iran would cease to exist without using nukes..

[USAF80]

We shall see. The Iranians are pretty resourceful.

[Stonewall Jackson]

On March 19, 1945, the carrier Franklin was off the coast of Japan when a scout plane (Possibly an Aichi B7A "Grace") swooped low over the flight deck and dropped two 550-pound bombs, catching the carrier with her flight and hangar decks full of armed and fueled aircraft. The resulting fire and explosions damaged the carrier so severely that she never returned to active service, killed 807 men, and wounded 487 others.

[LevinFan]

You do realize that it doesn’t take a lot of damage to put a carrier out of action? Battle damage can warp a deck, tilt it too much for flight operations, disable engines needed to get the carrier up to speed to launch and land aircraft, disable the catapult, ect. The ship might not sink, but it won’t be doing any fighting, and people will died.

[joe fonebone]

It is painfully obvious to me that you are former air force... navy pilots can land on anything, including warped decks.. hell, they can avoid holes in the deck while landing...it is the air force that needs a nice, pretty, straight and long undamaged runway... :)

[USAF80]

The Kuwaitis slant drilled his oil fields plus they owed him money for keeping the Iranians off their butts. They also screwed him with oil prices so he could not rebuild his country.

That is one of the reasons he kicked off in their rear ends.

He burned their oil not to cover his tracks but as payback.

At least that is the word I heard somewhere in my travels.

[CJ Wolf]

I could see china not getting involved, however I can see them using the two proxies NK and Iran hitting us pretty much at the same time, as well as helping Pakistan mess with India while they sit back and watch and poke. All the pieces are following into place.

[USAF80]

AF runways don’t sink.

[TheOldLady]

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[Jeff Head]

Thanks spetz.

Here's that site for those who wish to see what the Red Chinese Navy (PLAN) is about these days and for the last several years:

THE RISING SEA DRAGON IN ASIA

[Jeff Head]

We keep very close track of those kilos. They don’t get “get out” much.

My guess is, that should we think hostilities were emminent, those three would be among the first casualties.

[Jeff Head]

The PLAN does have the ability to operate and sustain itself in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. They have been doing so in the Arabian Sea for the last couple of years with continuous SAGs supporting the anti-pirate mission, sending usually one DDG and one FFG, or two FFGs and a supply vessel. They are very adept at UNREP operations.

Their new FFGs and DDGs are strong, modern vessels and would be a match for the Indians if they Indians chose to try and contest their transit of the open seas.

They now also have three modern, large LPDs, very similar in look, size and function to our new San Antonio class which they could utilize as well if necessary.

However, as soon as a US Navy CSG or SAG came into play, they would be completely outclassed...particularly if our own groups were accompanied by SSNs. The Chinese SSNs are 1) few in number, 2) better than they used to be, and 3)Not nearly up to par against a Viriginia, Sea Wolf, or even the improved LA Class.

PLAN SAG DOING UNREP (Click for higher res)

[USAF80]

Yea, Clancy (I think) had a book where the SEALS took them out in the opening round.

[FARS]

The late Shah built at least one oil loading capable port in South Iran,(Mahshahr?) which does not need tankers to pass through the Straits of Hormoz and oil from nearby, main oilfields in Khuzestan, South Iran, already has some pipelines operational.

I am not sure if the Mullahs have kept the port capability up to “code”. There were reports that tanker loading was way below original capacity in the good old days of the Shah.

Danger to Iran is not oil export, though it would be reduced, but a total oblitaration reaction from the West - or if Obambi sits on his hands as before, a strike by Israel.

Closing the Straits needs only the intentional, or accidentally on purpose, sinking BY FLOODING THE BILGES - of some otherwise useless rust bucket cargo ships, even an old tanker or two, to make the Straits too hazardous or “un-navigable” rather than a military exchange sinking naval vessels.

Like when making artificial reefs to protect/increase certain fish populations. Removing the wrecks will take time and enormous effort. And not a single shot would have been fired by Iran.

In all probability Iran would accuse Israel and the West for such events and pretend innocence for their own sabotage of the navigable channel.

[crosshairs]

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. We could sure use an American for a president right now.

[momincombatboots]

Thanks for that bit of info on the patriot act. I will file that with Ted the swimmer writing No Child Left Behind. Teachers get truly outraged at me for pointing that out. ;)

[alex2011]

We are working on it? This is 2012 not 2010, looking on the candidate they are all libs, they managed to destroy Cain and kick out Palin. Now we have Ron Paul in top 3. We need to seriously come up with decent candidates not RINOs and not pacifists, there is just a few months left. If normal pro-American conservatives don’t get their act in order we will be voting for Obama just to keep Paul out.

[RitchieAprile]

IRIAF has one less F-5 than previously noted:

F-5 landing w/o a functioning nose gear at Dezful AB
http://youtu.be/mMB-94YvBhE

[brooklin]

Great response, Thanks.

[LibLieSlayer]

Normal American Conservatives are not the problem... you look at the party leadership and the rinoids that run the rnc if you want to blame someone. They own the absolute worst slate of candidates in my lifetime... does not mean we are not fighting like hell against the dims and the republicrats. That was my point.

LLS