Article

2016-06-24 Syria-Lebanon-Iran

U.S. Navy Officers In Crosshairs Over Iran Debacle

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve White 2016-06-24 00:00|| || Front Page|| [9 views ] Top

#1 But they had no experience navigating across the Persian Gulf in their small riverine command boats

So, the local fisherman were more skilled than those the Navy puts out to sea. I take it they long ago discontinued to teach the Sextant at the service schools. Too ancient for modern mariners.

Posted by Procopius2k 2016-06-24 07:56|| 2016-06-24 07:56|| Front Page Top

#2 A sextant during daytime won't give you much more than latitude. It's 'shooting bearings' off landmarks listed on the chart that gives you a fairly good position.

Posted by Pappy 2016-06-24 08:37|| 2016-06-24 08:37|| Front Page Top

#3 According to Cmd Salamander, the helmsman refused a direct order to maneuver.

Posted by Shipman 2016-06-24 11:35|| 2016-06-24 11:35|| Front Page Top

#4 From the link cited by CDR Salamander:

Multiple defense officials tell Fox News a “multitude of errors” led to the capture of the U.S. Navy crew.

First, there was no navigation brief, a major violation of Navy protocol. When any Navy ship gets underway, even for something as minor as shifting berths from one pier to another, it is standard for a Navy crew to conduct a navigation brief discussing issues such as hazards to navigation or, in this case, an Iranian base near the planned course.

Second, the chain of command was not well defined on the two boats. While a young lieutenant was the highest-ranking individual on either of the two 50-foot boats, when the order was given to evade the Iranian forces, the helmsman refused the order.

Third, defense officials tell Fox News the Navy had become too complacent with the its treatment by Iranian forces in the months leading up to the January capture.

“The story here is these guys had gotten so used to Iranians doing stupid s---, having weapons pointed at them all the time, they didn’t know they were being captured until the Iranians boarded their boats,” one defense official said describing the lack of situational awareness by the Navy crew. “They messed up pretty bad.”

Posted by Pappy 2016-06-24 12:57|| 2016-06-24 12:57|| Front Page Top

#5 “They messed up pretty bad.”

But the crew had "Diversity."

Posted by Pappy 2016-06-24 13:01|| 2016-06-24 13:01|| Front Page Top

#6 Farsi Island is an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf. There is an IRGC Navy base on this island. The island has an area of about 0.25 km2 (0.10 sq mi) Its maximum elevation is 4 metres (13 ft).

About 64 acres. A square 1670 feet on a side. Yet another benefit of global warming sea-level rises.

Posted by Bobby 2016-06-24 13:14|| 2016-06-24 13:14|| Front Page Top

#7 “The story here is these guys had gotten so used to Iranians doing stupid s---, having weapons pointed at them all the time,

Any different from the patrol SOP not to shoot Somali pirates till they shot first?

Posted by Procopius2k 2016-06-24 13:34|| 2016-06-24 13:34|| Front Page Top

22:41 gorb
22:29 gorb
22:17 Whiskey Mike
22:15 Whiskey Mike
22:06 Whiskey Mike
21:27 3dc
20:09 Mike Kozlowski
19:43 SteveS
19:40 Bright Pebbles
19:39 Bright Pebbles
19:35 SteveS
18:55 Alaska Paul
18:52 Alaska Paul
18:48 Alaska Paul
17:37 Alaska Paul
17:17 Dale
17:08 Canuckistanian sniper
16:55 CrazyFool
16:48 CrazyFool
16:45 AlanC
16:41 Canuckistanian sniper
16:33 JohnQC
16:31 Alaska Paul
16:30 Ebbang Uluque6305