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2011-09-28 Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Iran planning to send ships near U.S. waters
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Posted by Spot 2011-09-28 13:44|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ]  Top

#1 Hey, fellas, there's some attack submarines trailing you.....keep that in mind.
Posted by Alaska Paul 2011-09-28 14:44||   2011-09-28 14:44|| Front Page Top

#2 Ali Fadavi, Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Navy chief, commented enigmatically: "When we are in the Gulf of Mexico, we will establish direct contact with the United States."

I suspect this means that they intend to stay in international waters, and pay a visit to Venezuela.
Posted by Anonymoose 2011-09-28 15:12||   2011-09-28 15:12|| Front Page Top

#3 Got any stealth torpedos on those attack subs?

Be a shame if anything happened to those Iranian ships, wink wink.
Posted by AlanC 2011-09-28 15:19||   2011-09-28 15:19|| Front Page Top

#4 I'll bet you that Columbus got over here faster...
Posted by tu3031 2011-09-28 15:22||   2011-09-28 15:22|| Front Page Top

#5 They say the Atlantic can get mighty cold, especially at the bottom.
Posted by Fred 2011-09-28 16:36||   2011-09-28 16:36|| Front Page Top

#6 Sayari, you lost ANOTHER submarine?
Posted by European Conservative 2011-09-28 16:40||   2011-09-28 16:40|| Front Page Top

#7 As I said yesterday, this ought to be an interesting trip, considering the Iranian vessels are littoral design and kitted out for tropical conditions, and they are intending to cross the Atlantic Ocean in the next several months. Any odds from the bookmakers on how many ships DON'T survive the crossing yet?
Posted by Shieldwolf 2011-09-28 17:57||   2011-09-28 17:57|| Front Page Top

#8 They do no have an ocean going tug in their navy. Are they leasing one for the trip?

Come to think of it they do not have an oiler nor do they seem equipped to refuel under way in mid ocean, so where are their refueling ports of call?
Posted by The Other Beldar 2011-09-28 18:29||   2011-09-28 18:29|| Front Page Top

#9 The Iranians do have an oiler capable of making the trip, the Kharg.
Posted by Pappy 2011-09-28 18:46||   2011-09-28 18:46|| Front Page Top

#10 "The Iranians do have an oiler capable of making the trip to the bottom, the Kharg."

FTFY, Pappy.


"Sayari, you lost ANOTHER submarine?"

And EC takes the lead for snark o' the day.™ ;-p
Posted by Barbara 2011-09-28 19:23||   2011-09-28 19:23|| Front Page Top

#11 with a knowledgeable audience, no less :-)
Posted by European Conservative 2011-09-28 20:08||   2011-09-28 20:08|| Front Page Top

#12 More ...

WAFF > IRAN NAVY TO BUILD AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.

To paraph 1970's SIX MILYUHN DOLLAR MAN OPENER > "Gentlemen, Iran says they can build them, they have the technology [ + designs]", all ready to go.

Wid pro-Islamist Groups already holding sway in Libyuh + Egypt thanks to the "Arab Spring(s)", just to wait for AQIM/AQNA = AL-QAEDA to expand + destabilize, take over Morrocco, Algiers, etc. across from the STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR [Atlantic open access]...

Oh wait, AQIM/AQNA is planning to do that.

My bad.
Posted by JosephMendiola 2011-09-28 21:04||   2011-09-28 21:04|| Front Page Top

#13 Somehow I think this will remain posturing. But if their little armada did try to poke around, I wonder how many different nation's submarines would be shadowing them to try to analyze our responses.
Posted by James  2011-09-28 21:59|| http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com  2011-09-28 21:59|| Front Page Top

#14 In other news Al Qaeda is getting mad with Dinnerjacket

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/al-qaeda-iran-ahmadinejad-stop-spreading-911-conspiracy/story?id=14620643

Al Qaeda to Iran: Stop Spreading 9/11 Conspiracy Theory
Posted by European Conservative 2011-09-28 22:02||   2011-09-28 22:02|| Front Page Top

#15 See also WORLD NEWS > TERROR GROUP HEZBOLLAH MAY BE PLANNING MISSLE SITE IN CUBA TO ATTACK US: BACHMANN.

Michelle.
Posted by JosephMendiola 2011-09-28 22:13||   2011-09-28 22:13|| Front Page Top

#16 I wonder how many different nation's submarines would be shadowing them to try to analyze our responses.

It'd be a lot cheaper and the intel would be as good if they tuned into the major news networks that would cover this "three-hour tour".
Posted by Pappy 2011-09-28 22:17||   2011-09-28 22:17|| Front Page Top

#17 JM

In Cuba? No way, the Cuban gov are control freaks, there is no way that they would allow such a thing.

I'd be more worried about Mexico
Posted by European Conservative 2011-09-28 22:59||   2011-09-28 22:59|| Front Page Top

#18 The ships the Iranians are sending out are, militarily speaking, a joke, they're not much better than target hulks when it comes to combat capability against a real blue water navy or coastal airforces with naval training.

That being said, there is one ship that caught my eye as interesting - and Pappy named it.

The Kharq is a oiler/replenishment ship, former Brit built back in late 70's for the Shah, based on British navy Olwen class fast fleet oilers, and delivered to the Ayatollah sometime thereafter. Supposedly a refit in 93. She has helipad and space for 3 Sea Kings. 33000 tons, 250 crew, so she's good sized ship for a navy that small.

So they do have something to give them legs. Question is do they have the crew training for those sorts of at-sea replenishment in the mid Atlantic in autumn. This is still pretty much a bunch of puddle pirates, operationally; my guess is they are not capable of doing this so they will replenish and refuel when in port along the way.

This brings the question: Why bring the Kharq other than for appearance sakes?

The big issue here is what cargo she is carrying to Venezuela, and what is she picking up there. Don't pay attention to the loud flourishes, pay attention to the substance.
Posted by OldSpook 2011-09-28 23:23||   2011-09-28 23:23|| Front Page Top

#19 Very valid points OS.
The relationship between Iran and Venezuela needs close scrutiny.
Posted by European Conservative 2011-09-28 23:26||   2011-09-28 23:26|| Front Page Top

#20 I seem to recall the Iranian navy been sailing pirate duty off of Somalia...If they have, how would that impact their ability to refuel on the way to our east coast?
Posted by trailing wife 2011-09-28 23:31||   2011-09-28 23:31|| Front Page Top

23:46 trailing wife
23:31 trailing wife
23:26 European Conservative
23:23 OldSpook
22:59 European Conservative
22:57 newc
22:54 newc
22:49 SteveS
22:47 newc
22:46 JohnQC
22:38 JohnQC
22:35 newc
22:19 SteveS
22:19 Skidmark
22:17 JosephMendiola
22:17 Pappy
22:15 badanov
22:13 JosephMendiola
22:09 Eohippus Phater7165
22:02 European Conservative
21:59 James
21:54 European Conservative
21:49 Mullah Richard
21:40 tu3031









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