Taiwan Mistakenly Fires Supersonic 'Carrier Killer' Missile Towards China

Agence France-Presse ^ | July 01, 2016

[sukhoi-30mki]

TAIPEI, TAIWAN: A Taiwanese warship mistakenly launched a supersonic "aircraft carrier killer" missile towards China on Friday, the navy said, as ties between the island and its once bitter rival deteriorate.

The domestically developed Hsiung-feng III (Brave Wind) missile, with a range of 300 kilometres (around 200 miles), flew about 75 kilometres before plunging into waters off Penghu, a Taiwanese-administered island group in the Taiwan Strait.

[aomagrat]

The ship’s name wasn’t Saratoga, was it?

[Tallguy]

Captain Finlander: Relax, Commodore. I’m not going to fire one unless he fires one.

Weaps Officer: Firing One, Sir!

[xrmusn]

“I can’t hear you! It’s full of what?”

“RAUNCH!”
= = = = = = = = = = = = =
Japanese tourist in New York goes into Bank of America and tries to trade some yen for greenbacks.
He goes in on Monday and rate 175-1
Tues 170-1
Wed 185-1
Thurs 172-1
On Friday the tourist questions the difference. Same bank, same teller etc.
The teller tries to explain how the money market works and end up saying.

“Fluctuations, Sir, that is the problem”

He replied “Flucuamelicans” and stormed out of the bank.

[Bull Snipe]

It has happened in our Navy. The usual cause in inattentive personnel conducting routine testing. In the 50s a tin can in Norfolk fired a salvo of Hedgehog missiles into the Navy Exchange parking lot. In the early 60s a tin can in Newport fired a live torpedo into the wardroom of the can tied up next to her (didn’t explode). A DDG-2 tied up across the pier from us in San Diego, in the 70s, accidently put a war shot on the rails while conducting DSOTs. The required observer wasn’t doing his job, the QD OOD on our ship, saw what was happening, ran across the pier waving and shouting at their QD watch, pointing to the missile on their launcher. Their QD acted and stopped the test. We later heard that they were just ready to test the firing circuit when stopped. CO, XO, Weapons Officer, division officer and division chief were all relieved for cause. Our QD OOD was award a Navy Achievement medal for his actions.

[Larry Lucido]

Exactly!

[bert]

What’s good for North Korea is good for Taiwan

[Rockingham]

Once a missile has been proved a success, it is relatively easy for designers and engineers to extend its range or to develop a new model based on it and with longer reach from the outset. In addition, if Japan goes nuclear, Taiwan could follow in short order. If so, having a nuclear capable, supersonic indigenous missile already on hand would greatly enhance Taiwan's security against both Japan's notional menace and against the more substantial threat of bullying or even invasion by Taiwan's cousins on the Chinese mainland.

[HombreSecreto]

Well, since the missile traveled west, it was an “occident.”

[Bull Snipe]

according to the attached article, it probably hit him as it plowed through the fishing trawler

[Rockingham]

In 1943, during a routine demonstration, the USS William D. Porter, a Fletcher-class destroyer, mistakenly fired off a live torpedo at the battleship USS Iowa -- which at the time was carrying FDR to the Casablanca conference. Alerted of the danger, the Iowa turned and the torpedo exploded harmlessly in its wake. Supposedly, fearing that an assassination attempt might be under way, the Iowa then turned its guns toward the Porter. The entire ship's crew were then placed under arrest. The ensuing investigation showed that an error by the Chief Torpedoman was the cause of the incident. FDR, to his credit, intervened and reversed the sentence of hard labor. The Captain of the Porter remained in command and retired as a Rear Admiral.

[wideminded]

Interesting

[ArrogantBustard]

“If he fires one, I’ll fire one.”

“FIRE ONE!”

[Ozark Tom]

Did the missile detect the fishing vessel and lock this as it’s target?

[PLMerite]

“Nuke ‘em, Dan-o!”

[SpinnerWebb]

How would the missile launch kill the skipper?

It's not the launch that killed the skipper. It was the big boom at the end of the flight that got him.

[Bull Snipe]

Article didn’t state the weapon had a lock on the trawler.
The warhead did not explode.

[Slings and Arrows]

Oh G-d.

[Slings and Arrows]

In 1943, during a routine demonstration, the USS William D. Porter, a Fletcher-class destroyer, mistakenly fired off a live torpedo at the battleship USS Iowa -- which at the time was carrying FDR to the Casablanca conference. Alerted of the danger, the Iowa turned and the torpedo exploded harmlessly in its wake. Supposedly, fearing that an assassination attempt might be under way, the Iowa then turned its guns toward the Porter. The entire ship's crew were then placed under arrest. The ensuing investigation showed that an error by the Chief Torpedoman was the cause of the incident. FDR, to his credit, intervened and reversed the sentence of hard labor. The Captain of the Porter remained in command and retired as a Rear Admiral.

"[A]s a result of this friendly fire incident, ships would routinely greet the destroyer with the hail "Don't shoot! We're Republicans!""

[Rockingham]

Thus proving that even seeming to fight Democrats enhances one’s reputation. Too bad that today’s GOP leadership seems clueless on that score.