US-Flagged Vessels in Middle East Advised to Turn Off Transponders Amid Houthi Threat

Sputnik News ^ | 3/19/24

[marshmallow]

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) has advised vessels under the US flag to turn off automatic identification systems (AIS) transponders while crossing the southern part of the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden amid attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

"US-flagged commercial vessels transiting the Southern Red Sea, Bab el Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden with AIS transponders on are at increased risk of targeting by adversarial actors. US-flagged commercial vessels operating in these areas are strongly advised to turn off their AIS transponders, unless vessel Masters believe that doing so would compromise the safety of the vessel," the agency said in an advisory late on Monday.

Since November 2023, there have been at least 47 separate Houthi attacks on commercial vessels and one ship was seized, the authority estimated.

Turning off AIS transponders complicates tracking a vessel and accurately targeting it, the agency said, advising US-flagged commercial ships to remain "as far as possible from Yemen's coastline without compromising navigational safety."

[logi_cal869]

Rather than solely ‘turn off’, it seems the prudent action would be to spoof fake signals so that the enemy targeting would be hard pressed to select an actual ship.

[antidemoncrat]

Gee, let me think. I see a target that has no AIS ... should I hit it or just ignore it???

[Lurker]

Maybe the Russians could quit selling missiles to Iran who in turn hands them over to a bunch of 75 IQ islamist savages.

Just a thought.

L

[alexander_busek]

Trudeau’s Canada: Canadian Police Advise Leaving Car Keys in Front Door to Deter Break-Ins and Minimize Conflict with Thieves

Now, the same thing with transponders.

Regards,

[HombreSecreto]

This

[Highest Authority]

Has it ever occurred to anybody to shoot/bomb back?

[silent majority rising]

How about every time they are attacked, sink an Iranian ship? That would work.

[JimRed]

Has it ever occurred to anybody to shoot/bomb back?

Counterbattery fire from loitering drones would be helpful. Upon launch detection, the launch point should be immediately targeted.

[whitney69]

I’m reminded of Oscar Schindler. His factories built things for safety and security that never worked or were allowed to.

wy69

[wildcard_redneck]

There goes Potato Joe making things better the world over.

[wildcard_redneck]

Remember when Iran almost had a revolution but Obama and Biden helped the Iranian regime shut it down? I do.

[DownInFlames]

Potato Joe is worse than Carter. What a maroon.

[KarlInOhio]

Are there any US flagged commercial vessels except those which have to for transport between US ports because of the Jones Act? If you want the be a Panama flagged ship to avoid US taxes and regulations, then have the Panamanian navy protect you.

[StAnDeliver]

The whole scenario screams for 3 or 4 ‘bait ships’ that are loaded with extreme counter-measures. Make it so the Houthi’s don’t know which ship will find them and kill them within 2 minutes of their launch and you’ll winnow out the martyrs within weeks — a proven successful anti-slime strategy.