Posted on 05/07/2009 6:49:21 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
MANAMA (Reuters) - Pirates have fired small arms weapons at a U.S. Navy supply ship off the coast of Eastern Somalia, the first attack of this kind since last year's surge in pirate attacks, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday.
The USNS Lewis and Clark was chased for about an hour on Wednesday morning by two pirates skiffs, but neither came closer than about one nautical mile to the U.S. vessel, the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet said in a statement.
The small arms fire fell well short of the U.S. ship which speeded up to evade the skiffs.
The USNS Lewis and Clark earlier served as a temporary detention facility for suspected pirates arrested at sea, but its operations are now limited to providing supplies to other U.S. ships operating in the area.
Somali pirates have increased their activities in recent weeks, defying the presence of international navies in the area.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Right.
The staterooms are bigger and the food is better.
***This is just sickening. They should have turned around and blown those skiffs out of the water. We now have a metrosexual Navy. ****
Not necessarily. Possibly there is a new directive that Ship’s Captains have to contact a JAG who contacts the White House to get permission to return fire. No doubt the WH must make up “Rules of engagement” to micro-manage each incident. Sarc/ off
Surely some of the crew or the officers are former navy. Even if not, they are still American males. Should have simply rammed the attackers. Get everybody under some decent cover from small arms and like the character D-Day from Animal House scream: Raaaaaaammmmming Speeeeed! Even if they couldn't run them over certainly the bow wash or wake would capsize the craft. Then just let them drown like rats. Sorry, didn't mean to call you Shirley.
Is the USNS today’s MSTS ?
I’m not sure if that’s sarcasm or not..I’d be tempted to believe it’s true myself..
See #9.
“USS Whatever” is a commissioned warship, operated by United States Navy military enlisted sailors and commissioned officers, and armed.
“USNS Whatever” is a cargo ship, owned by the United States Navy, operated by civilian employees thereof, and unarmed.
We’re going to have another Cole on our hands.
“Haze gray and running away” the new O-Navy SOP.
Tell me they blew them out of the water, or don’t report on this at all!
Her sister ship is the USNS Sacagawea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Sacagawea_(T-AKE-2)
Complement: 49 military, 123 civilian
Electronic warfare
and decoys: Nulka decoy launchers
Armament: 2–6 × 12.7 mm machine guns
or 7.62 mm medium machine guns
Aircraft carried: two helicopters, either Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk or Aerospatiale Super Puma
OK I stand (partially) corrected ... they're still not warships, and shouldn't be expected to act as such.
What are they armed with?
The MSTS is now the Military Sealift Command. The USNS ships are the fleet of the MSC.
The bigger question is why was the ship carrying the fuel and ammo for our entire squadron in the combat zone. Heck one RPG in to the jet fuel or ammo magazine and the ship goes away with a big flash/bang. And if it had to be forward deployed why wasn’t there an FFG providing escort. Those DDGs are fuel hungry b@stards and won’t be of much use with empty tanks. Take out a destroyer you loose one ship, take out the fuel and ammo and the entire squadron would be crippled due to lack of supplies. Isn’t the first thing you learn in the military to always protect your logistics?
Any chance we can get Greenpeace to come over there?
That far out to sea there is no need to waste the bullets on strafing.
Her sister ship (see post above) has the following:
Armament: 2–6 × 12.7 mm machine guns or 7.62 mm medium machine guns
So when I said lightly armed, I meant VERY lightly armed.
At any rate, I think we both agree everyone is expecting this ship to blow the pirates out of the water when that just isn’t possible.
Freepers overreacting...what a shocker! :)
The small arms fire fell well short of the U.S. ship which speeded up to evade the skiffs
That's the trouble with relying on the AK-47
A WWII BREN would have put the bullets on target.
those pirates should be DEAD.
what are we becoming?????
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