UPDATED: How will we handle the upcoming Iran Navy incursion on US Territorial waters?

MAJ Joseph Parker — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:23:31 -0500

The Iranian Navy has a "fleet" in route to US territorial waters right now (Atlantic side) in response to our warships operating in the Persian Gulf. Their fleet is going to "send us a message". 10 FEB UPDATE: TODAY THE IRAN GOVERNMENT RELEASED A VIDEO SIMULATION SHOWING THAT THEIR NAVAL SHIPS CAN RELEASE ARMED DRONES AGAINST TARGETS IN ISREAL AND THE US, AND SHOWING SIMULATED HITS ON PUBLIC AREAS. THE VIDEO, ALTHOUGH AMATEURISH BY OUR STANDARDS, WAS A VERY HAM-HANDED SIGNAL INDICATING THAT THE THREAT POSED BY IRANIAN WARSHIPS IN ROUTE TO US WATERS WAS NOT TO BE IGNORED.

http://americanmilitarynews.com/2014/02/threat-iran-broadcasts-simulated-bombing-us-aircraft-carrier/

Who handles the message? the Navy or the Coast Guard? The Iran Navy capabilities in comparison to either the USN or USCG are laughable, but they do have submarines, they can interdict civilian traffic, they can infiltrate and land people and material, and they can electronically eavesdrop and interfere. Do we handle them the way we handle the Chinese and Russians?

Would like to hear from our Navy and Coasties on this one!

Iran Broadcast Shows Destruction Of Israel, US Aircraft Carrier

More saber rattling coming out of Iran: on Friday the Iranian government ran a documentary that featured the destruction of a US aircraft carrier as well as a b

Response by SSG Laureano Pabon made Feb 8 at 2014 7:31 PM

SSG Laureano Pabon — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 19:31:10 -0500

Sir I was looking at that. The message doesn't look good.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2554900/Iranian-warships-sailing-US-borders-time-send-message.html

Iranian warships will sail to U.S. maritime borders for first time to send 'a message' to the White House

Iranian warships dispatched to the Atlantic Ocean will travel close to U.S. maritime borders for the first time, commander of Iran's Northern Navy Fleet, Admiral Afshin Rezayee Haddad, said today.

Response by SGT Nathan Huff made Feb 8 at 2014 8:04 PM

SGT Nathan Huff — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 20:04:03 -0500

If they are actually head this way, they would have to first enter our waters, then by UNALOS we still could do nothing as long as they did not attack or damage / do illegal activities that is defined within UNALOS and our marine laws.

So if they do come I expect nothing will happen. Now if they did something foolish, as in attack some one or damage maritime endangered life, or purposely spill oil in our sea. Then we could do something. They would quickly end up sunk of captured.

But it is my opinion, nothing is going to happen.

Response by PFC Stephen Eric Serati made Feb 8 at 2014 8:55 PM

PFC Stephen Eric Serati — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 20:55:04 -0500

Last time I heard were not blockading them,if that's the case they have the right to travel the water ways.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Feb 8 at 2014 10:25 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 22:25:27 -0500

Shadow them to ensure they do not stray into US territorial waters. If they do, they should be stopped and escorted out. If they refuse, sink their asses.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2014 2:19 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 02:19:09 -0500

Let's be a little careful about we handle these ships. They are carrying about 30 navy academy cadets for training along with their regular crews. The last think we need to see splashed across CNN are headlines and stories re hurting a bunch of sea scouts.

If they stray a bit too close for comfort, how about letting the Coast Guard do simple on board health, welfare, contraband, navigation and safety equipment inspections?

If all else fails, disable their rudders and offer them a tow to more agreeable location.

Iranian warships will sail to U.S. maritime borders for first time to send 'a message' to the White House

Iranian warships dispatched to the Atlantic Ocean will travel close to U.S. maritime borders for the first time, commander of Iran's Northern Navy Fleet, Admiral Afshin Rezayee Haddad, said today.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2014 5:45 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 17:45:06 -0500

Why are we so scared or feel threatened by whatever these guys do? From my own understanding, the US is far more superior and powerful than these guys. I believe they the Iranians won't want to try anything silly within an inch of our territorial waters.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2014 6:18 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 18:18:56 -0500

This is exactly what we have done to them for the last 35 years.  They are not a threat to the US and never have been.

Response by PO2 Ron Hornsby made Feb 9 at 2014 7:54 PM

PO2 Ron Hornsby — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 19:54:35 -0500

If Iran is indeed sending a "fleet" of war ships into United States territory then all bets are off! You know as well as I do that no one sends a fleet to send a message! To spend that kind of money just to see what we as a nation is going to do is ridiculous! They have nuclear weapons capabilities everyone knows this and what they want is the USN to confront them in international waters So they can say we attacked them without prejudice, and that my friends will be the start of WWIII! They may be ignorant but they are not stupid! They will not come into US waters!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2014 8:18 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 20:18:09 -0500

I will approach this from a different angle.

If I were the Iranian Admiral, I would test the reaction time/seriousness of the US by first entering the airspace 200NM out as the imaginary line is from seabed to outer space. This allows me to make good on my threat, yet keep my larger assets ( the actual ships) out of US waterways. It is also more likely to cause a violent reaction by the US so that I can claim being attacked first.

What would you do in this instance?

Does one or two jets or rotary wing craft make the ships they came from "violators" also??

Seize the ships, shoot the planes down or both?

I have been watching this closely as a CBRN soldier, but I can not find where they have any type of aircraft capable ships in their fleet. Im sure that if they do not have ships capable of jets, they do have at least helipads that can launch rotary wing aircraft.

I am more concerned that with the official boundaries only starting at the waterfront of our states. they can actually get much closer than 200nm to certain parts of Texas and still be in Mexico's waters. Also with Florida being so close to Cuba they could actually stay in Cuban waters and be closer than 200NM as well. As I understand it the 200NM is a max only if it does not intrude on another countries waterway? Thus the Cuban Conundrum!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2014 11:59 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 23:59:08 -0500

As long as they stay outside of/skirt our waters they are fine. (I am picturing my son annoyingly putting his finger in my daughters face and saying "I'm not touching you! I'm not touching you!)

However, the second they show signs of threat (which they won't) we will just have to kill them until they die from it.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2014 9:35 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 09:35:33 -0500

Hell sir, the last time the Iranian Navy tried to "send us a message" we ended up rescuing their sailors off of one of the ships before it sank.

I think we need to wait and see if their "fleet" actually survives the Atlantic crossing before we figure out who is going to rescue them when they run into trouble off our shores. LOL

Response by LTC Martin Metz made Feb 11 at 2014 4:03 PM

LTC Martin Metz — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 16:03:17 -0500

Pushing Iranian naval efforts have been going on for at least the last year or so without much attention. Considering the condition and type vessels being used, it only plays well to the Iranian home front for political propaganda. While it may seem provocative, I think the visit has largely been ignored by the US press. We shouldn't get too complacent in case future visits serve as a cover to greater mischief.

Response by SSG Laureano Pabon made Feb 11 at 2014 8:46 PM

SSG Laureano Pabon — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 20:46:54 -0500

I thought I add this :

http://scgnews.com/the-real-reason-iran-announced-that-it-is-sending-warships-to-the-us-border

The Real Reason Iran Announced that it is Sending Warships to the U.S. Border

Iran has announced that it is moving warships to the U.S. border. What on earth are they thinking?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2014 9:56 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 21:56:41 -0500

I read that one of the boats they are sending is one that our forces had an encounter with in 1988 and it is still in pretty rough shape like we left it.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2014 10:05 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 22:05:02 -0500

Sir,

The update sounds like Psychological operations than a threat.

Response by SGT Nathan Huff made Feb 11 at 2014 11:40 PM

SGT Nathan Huff — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 23:40:08 -0500

The bellow article shows how big of a joke the Iranian navy is. The video news concerning the propaganda they spew at there people is not the reality of the Iranian Navy. They are not a threat nor are they something to be worried about.

Sinking feeling: Iranian Navy sends message with US-bound 'rust buckets'

The two Iranian warships headed toward U.S. maritime borders for the first time are an “afterthought” from a military perspective, but the vessels serve a significant strategic role, particularly insi...

Response by SSgt James Stanley made Feb 12 at 2014 2:45 PM

SSgt James Stanley — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 14:45:42 -0500

My suggestion is to wait for them at the 200nm limit and if they enter our waters fire a warning shot across their bow. If they refuse to retreat board their ship(s) and encourage them to return to Iranian waters or their ship(s) would be disabled and left adrift in international waters. If they happen to launch any armed drones, since we don't know what kind of warheads their missiles have, They should be blown out of the air.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 13 at 2014 3:47 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 15:47:20 -0500

I will be drinking Mai Tai's at the beach.

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 17 at 2015 2:37 PM

LCpl Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 14:37:07 -0500

I would suggest we get a bunch of private boats together and go out and laugh at them and their impotence. The average civilian pleasure craft pier has more surface tonnage than the Iranian Navy.

Response by MSG John Duchesneau made Jun 20 at 2018 12:26 AM

MSG John Duchesneau — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 00:26:23 -0400

Why are you worried about this? They have few ships able to cross the ocean and we will have plenty of ships waiting for them when, and if, they get here. Stop reading and believing fake news.