by LeDahu for the Saker Blog
Unprecedented show of power projection by the US Navy with 2 Arleigh Burke class DDGs now deployed in the Black Sea. The USS ‘Carney’ (DDG 64), on 17 February joined the USS ‘Ross’ (DDG 71) in the Black Sea “to conduct maritime security operations.” LINK
#USSCarney🇺🇸 transited #Bosphorus🇹🇷 to join #USSRoss for routine maritime security operations IAW int'l law. C6F Commander VADM Grady assured: "Decision to have 2 ships in #BlackSea is proactive not reactive & demonstrates our commitment to regional stability" #SteadyPresence pic.twitter.com/f1q1KfObk0
— Naval Forces Europe (@USNavyEurope) February 17, 2018
#USSCarney & #USSRoss🇺🇸 conducting routine ops IAW int'l law (1936 Montreux Convention). C6F Commander VADM Grady: "Continued presence of @USNavy in #BlackSea demonstrates enduring commitment to regional stability, @NATO Allies & partners"#SteadyPresence https://t.co/P3iBbxM2nj
— Naval Forces Europe (@USNavyEurope) February 17, 2018
I’m having a hard time in recalling when was the last time that the Black Sea had two such US destroyers present, especially outside of an NATO exercise. Certainly, they has been joint NATO exercises, such as ‘Sea Breeze 17’ in July 2017, where there was a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS ‘Hué City’, (CG 66), and an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS ‘Carney’ (DDG 64), participating, alongside other 15 other NATO and non-NATO countries, including Ukraine, including a ‘free game’ format in the Odessa and Nikolayev region, involving amphibious exercises. While the exercise was taking place, this article was published about Ukraine hosting US military on its soil, for the foreseeable future.
It goes without saying that the arrival of the two US DDGs will attract the attention of Russia, coming at a time just before the presidential elections in March, raises the issue of the timing of these missions. How would the US react to having two Russian combat ships, on “advancing its national interests” by sailing in the Gulf of Mexico, one month before US elections? You would certainly hear a gigantic heap of fuss being generated in Washington and in the US MSM. Of course, the Russian Navy will keep a watchful eye, as the ‘Pytlivy’ did for HMS Duncan and the others.
Russian Navy ship Pytlivy steaming near Standing #NATO Maritime Group 2 this week during routine training in the #BlackSea | pic.twitter.com/gGke1DFfbS
— NATO MaritimeCommand (@NATO_MARCOM) February 2, 2018
I think that the last time that the presence of the US Navy, at time of an important event in Russia, was at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Back then the US Navy deployed the USS ‘Mount Whitney’ to provide emergency cover, just outside Russian territorial waters if something should happen to the US sport contingent. LINK
Of course, somewhere in this upcoming naval activities is going to be more flights of P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft or even a Global Hawk drone or two, during the DDGs deployment, skirting the Russian airspace, and maybe, who knows another ‘unsafe interaction with a Russian naval or airforce fighter”, might take place, you the type that the Pentagon actually has a script for, (5ft or 50ft? distance), with “a 15-degree roll and violent turbulence” both in the January 18 and in November 17 incidents. (Note: if you don’t believe me then type and search the exact phrase).
TABLE OF FLIGHTS 02.17.2018 at 23.07
Sure looks like an interesting development, as this second US DDG arrives on the back of recent NATO regional exercises. The two DDGs are not part of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two – (SNMG2), but part of pre-deployed force based in Rota, Spain, tasked with what the US Navy calls: “Advancing U.S. national interests along with security and stability in Europe and Africa.”
Paradoxically, the USS ‘Ross ‘entered the Black Sea, when the UK Royal Navy’s destroyer HMS ‘Duncan’, as SNMG2 flagship, had just finished exercising with Romanian and Bulgarian doing PASSEX exercises. HMS ‘Duncan’ also called into the Black Sea, 6 months ago, with a port call to Odessa as well. LINK and LINK IN RUSSIAN
What is also interesting, is the timing of USS ‘Carney’, previously having left the Black Sea back on the 13th January, after just 9 days in the Black Sea. According to the US Navy press release, the fact that the USS ‘Carney’ has returned so soon is that the US Navy “operates at the tempo and timing of our choosing in this strategically important region.” Notice also how the US Navy press release stresses its previous deployment as part of NATO exercises in 2017, such as ‘Spring Storm’, ‘Sea Shield’ and ‘Sea Breeze’, except for this time, it doesn’t seem to be the case.
The timing certainly raises eyebrows, but maybe the Washington thinks it is handy to keep the pressure on, for US domestic eyes and media alike. An uptick in US military activities in the Black Sea of late is something to be concerned about.
LeDahu
Freelance maritime operations-tech researcher/analyst.
—-
Featured Image: Firing Line. US Navy sailors reload 9 mm handguns during a live-fire qualification course aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Carney in the Mediterranean Sea. Copyright US EUCOM
Anybody that can’t see how this will all end up,needs to have their eyes checked and order new glasses.
This operation is called “Rutine Poking the Bear”.
They want to challenge EW.
Maybe we’ll see another infamous naval collision made popular by US 7th Fleet done more spectacularly by the 6th Fleet. (They want to see EW? Give it to them.)
“Black Day in Black Sea. USS Carney and USS Ross Collide! Putin says Russians Will Help Navy With Rescue Operations If Asked.”
I agree with you. I also think that, since the “Donald Duck” as someone put it, the electronics on those ships have been upgraded. And now they are provoking Russia to use it’s EW to test the upgrades.
Anonius
The US Donald Duck was silenced by the Russian Khirbiny jamming system in 2014. The Aegis, which the USS Donald Duck uses, has most probably been upgraded. However, it’s difficult to believe that the Khirbiny has not been upgraded. It was used again in Syria against those Tomahawks which Trump fired against that Syrian air field, as well as against those drones used to attack the Russian air base. It performed brilliantly.
Seeing as the Russians are smart, one might think that using an EW system against an opponent in “peacetime” (well, what passes for peacetime these days) might not be that intelligent a move.
I rather suspect this was an ELINT mission – use a “standard” ECM pod and determine effect. (responses, and more importantly radiated effects – ECCM (if any), reflected energy spectrum (dips = absorbed frequencies), and other useful info.
The airborne version (Khibny, or L-175V) dates back to work in the 1980’s (Proran and Regatta active jamming systems). Being mindful of Russian pre-eminence in LW radar, and “at least as good as the West” phased array microwave / millimetric radar capability, I rather suspect Khibny packs considerably more punch than the west cares to admit – despite the “nothing to see here – move along please” article in the (formerly decent) Popular Mechanics – https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a26167/russia-secret-e-weapons/
I would tend to agree with this statement, but I would also tend to go further.
I would not believe that the Russians would have demonstrated to the Americans their latest technologies, but rather an older version that was still capable of doing the job.
Would the Russians employ the same tactic as they did with the USS Donald (Duck) Cook? Of course not, as they are not that stupid, but the Americans, well that is a different story. I would think that the Americans have upgraded their electrical systems to counter the initial attack and now have presented the Russians with the new upgrades and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Russians were capable of properly reading those latest upgrades and so will have a better understanding of the American technological advances.
Are the Americans that thick? Well why are the two destroyers in the Black Sea at all?
What was that song about fools rushing in where angels fear to tread?
Andrew S MacGregor
You are ofcourse right. I am thinking along the same lines. Why indeed would Russians show the US Navy the capabilities of their latest electronics. The smart thing would be to have the Americans keep guessing.
LeDahu
“I’m having a hard time in recalling when was the last time that the Black Sea had two such US destroyers present, especially outside of an NATO exercise.”
Part of israel’s trump regime provocations strategy. Along with this:
Ukrainian radicals storm Russian cultural center in Kiev, burn Russian flag (PHOTOS)
https://www.rt.com/news/419118-ukraine-radicals-burn-russian-flag/
Regarding the destroyers, there is not much they can do there but waste fuel and time. It also neutralizes them as a threat to Syria for a while.
On the other hand, they could provide some entertainment for Russian air crews:
Pentagon: Russian fighter jet repeatedly flew over US destroyer in Black Sea
https://www.rt.com/news/pentagon-destroyer-russian-jet-428/
Great response from the Russian ambassador to pindoland about the ukronazi rampage:
Russian Embassy In US Suggests Washington Inspired Cultural Center Attack
https://sputniknews.com/us/201802191061792093-usa-russia-ukraine-kiev-incident/
“We expect the US officials to stop the practice of support of barbarian nationalism. Not only in Ukraine, but in other Eastern European countries too. It results, as the developments in Kiev show, in pogroms, escalation of manifestations of xenophobia and extremism,” the embassy said in statement.
“[The actions of radicals in Ukraine] have been going on for several years. We are still yet to hear a proper assessment and condemnation from the US authorities. It cannot be ruled out that such actions are inspired by the example that Washington is giving — by seizures of the Russian diplomatic compounds,” the embassy said in a statement.
“The US lawmakers will have a great opportunity to address these developments, especially considering that the pogrom was led by their colleague – the Ukrainian lawmaker from the Radical Party Andriy Lozovoy,” the statement read.
“The outrage continued after the arrival of the police, which did not stop the radicals. The criminals are not afraid of justice and do not hide their faces. The radical nationalism in Ukraine has grown to the level of a state policy. In the face of aggravated internal contradictions, political turbulence and social dissatisfaction, the Kiev authorities actively implant the image of an external enemy in the face of Russia, “the statement read.”
Don’t worry its just a fascinator trick. For the moment. The pea is under a cup on land. Its called Transnistria. A hot summer for all.
Munich Security Conference and the usual suspects drumming up the war against Russia–McMasters especially.
https://www.securityconference.de/en/activities/munich-security-conference/msc-2018/live/
Guess who gets special billing? Yep Porosheno and Ukraine.
There are no coincidences…. not these days.
Guess who had more posteriors on seats and less snoozers in the audience
Lavrov
or
Poroshenko?
Munich Security Conference on February 17, 2018 – H.R. McMaster said evidence
of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election is “incontrovertible”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/mcmaster-says-evidence-of-russian-meddling-is-now-really-incontrovertible-as-he-woos-european-allies/2018/02/17/4a27f560-10e8-11e8-a68c-e9374188170e_story.html?utm_term=.45281cae258c
Origin of the “incontrovertible” evidence
[ https://themoscowtimes.com/news/mueller-charges-russians-with-pro-trump-anti-clinton-meddling-60544
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/02/russia-troll-farm/553616/
US authorities accused 13 Russians among them the “cook of Putin” Prigozhin – ru Пригожин
https://www.svoboda.org/a/29044329.html
The Moscow Times, the Research Agency and the Radio Liberty – ru Радио Либерти – are in chosen hands ]
https://www.justice.gov/file/1035477/download
These posts are off-topic. Please can you post off-topic comments in the MFC. Any further will not be posted here. Mod
“Advancing U.S. national interests along with security and stability in Europe and Africa.” — and the distinction between this and “aggressive pacification (where necessary)” is what exactly?
I can only guess that this is provactive but hollow – a bellow of bellicose without any other motive
http://www.eurasiafuture.com/2018/02/12/drug-boat-us-navy-personnel-accused-drug-dealing-japan-amid-total-breakdown-naval-morale/
A stark warning to Europe is that never in history has a military buildup occurred that has not ended in war. As Thomas Hardy once said “You can do anything with bayonets except sit on them.”
By entering the black sea ….. enclosed waters …..within missile and cyber attack range …… very very vulnerable …..Exposed sad Marines…… Just all show for the pathetic mass s who believe MSM media hypocracy and hype …. Typical bully behaviour except the wise just lock on, monitor and smirk…. These floating coffins are hollow sitting ducks. The pentagon have admitted to congress that in a hot war ….. “3 to 5 days at most, if not all ships” will be at the bottom of the sea.
Ета Правла – That’s True.
Politically, and in terms of media spin, this constitutes a show of force.
Practically, it is merely giving Russia two rather valuable hostage targets.
Should fighting break out, those two destroyers are dead ducks – as the USS Donald Duck already established. No doubt the “cynics” in Washington are fully aware of that; the two destroyers are just an extension of the purpose of USN aircraft carriers – “please, PLEASE, sink them”.
I trust, if either or both of these American show boats, break down in The Black Sea, The Russian Navy’s tugs, will drag them into The Russian port of Sevastopol and fix them, give the America sailors some nice Russian Vodka, and give them a map to get home.
Don’t expect us British to help, our only working boat has been sent to China to frighten the Chinese.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/13/britain-plots-confrontation-beijing-sending-royal-navy-warship/
It’s Chinese New Year. In London today – Massive Chinese Celebrations. They even invited us English. My wife did the photography.
We like The Chinese, just can’t stand The Americans.
Arrogance and stupidity, don’t mix well.
Tony
The Iranian Professor in America, tries to make some sense
“Will the Israeli-Iranian Showdown Be in Syria — or New York?”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/48805.htm
Tony
Now it’s pretty obvious what is happening. We are having presidential elections in Russia, and also the World Cup. Poroshenko, who has US citizenship, has been instructed to attack the Donbass during one of the two upcoming events in Russia. The US ships are in the Black Sea to monitor the developments, and provide necessary intelligence.
This is the last chance the West will have in removing Putin from power. They will use external and internal factors. Externally, it will use Poroshenko to attack the Donbass and hope Russia intervenes, undermining Putin’s chances in the election. This attempt will fail, as the Russians in the Donbass are too well dug in, while the Ukrainian conscript Army certainly cannot be expected of achieving much, bearing in mind the bulk of the Ukrainian population is impoverished. The moral of that army cannot be high. Internally, the West will use NGO’s to stir up trouble, like organizing “demonstrations” against Putin. Soros and his pals will pull off their old trick’s, like busing into Moscow “demonstrators” from all over Russia and presenting them as “residents” of Moscow. CNN and others will pop up and film these “demonstrations”, pointing their cameras into the center of the “demonstrations” and forgetting to film the flanks, so as not to show how small they really are. And yes, NGO sponsored candidates will try “winning”, but even the West must know they have no chance. I laughed when I saw some of those candidates, like little Ksenia Sobchak, who participated in the Kiev Maidan in 2014, who wants to return Crimea to Ukraine, who wants to abolish the Office of President of Russia and who wants Russia to join the EU. Laughable. The NGO’s in Russia obviously have trouble finding people of quality whom they can control.
These external and internal coordination’s against Russia will not work. The Russians are certainly expecting them and are prepared. However, an attack against the Donbass might well see a reverse Maidan against Kiev. NATO better think twice.
@BF,
My friend, you said “This is the last chance the West will have in removing Putin from power”. I say, fat chance for the western dreamers to remove Putin. He will stay on and continue to make Russia stronger, no matter how much they despise him. Of course, I agree with you that they will try to take the advantage of the two upcoming chances in Russia (I include Ukraine here as well). There is also Syria, regarding which is it Davutoglu threatened Syria. I wonder what Tillerson promised/threatened Turkey with. Probably oil money for Erdy (money from the future oil thefts from Syria).
From Le Dahu
I forgot to mention this in the actual strep, but the USS ‘Ross’ and USS ‘Porter’ (DDG-78) were the two DDGs that fired around 60 Tomahawk land attack missiles back in April in a supposedly retaliation strike against Syrian government for allegedly using the infamous hoax sarin chemical weapon against civilians. The incident with the crater, in which guys investigating are standing around in sandals.
The infamous sarin that US Sec of Def said there was no evidence of last week and even President Macron said that there was no evidence either.
LeDahu
Those Tomahawks did not perform brilliantly in Syria. Two waves of Tomahawks were fired. In the first wave, one Tomahawk misfired, while the remaining 29 Tomahawks were intercepted by the Russian Khirbiny electronic jamming system, which turned the Tomahawks in another direction. A second wave of 30 Tomahawks was fired. This time the Russians did not interfere, as they wanted to see how the Tomahawks would perform. Not one hit the runway of that Syrian air field. Yes, some hangers were hit, destroying five old Syrian aircraft which were being serviced, while other missiles struck Syrian villages, killing civilians. The air field was back in use 24 hours after the attack..
B.F.
Thanks, but ..
That is all speculation at this, wishful thinking, unless there is some rock solid evidence to suggest otherwise, especially the use of mythical Kibiniy ECM in Syria, that is supposed to solve all of the problems. Most Tomahawks did actually hit the airfield, hangers, and missile-radar installations, sat imagery shows it. Others did unfortunately hit a nearby village.
( I suspect it was not that in the first place – see the excellent comment above on Russian ECM from Phil S).
LeDahu
The Khirbiny electronic jamming system is not “mythical”. It does exist. In fact it was shown on the Internet, being filmed at the Russian Air Force base in Syria. And it was used against the USS Donald Cook in 2014, when an SU-24 disabled the destroyers electronics, after which it flew over the destroyer 12 times. The USS Donald Cook then returned to Romania.
you seem to be very sure of yourself, care to share some bone fide links, or maybe a clip from Zvezda TV? The way I see there are some that need to hype up some things, or should I spice up events? Because the “Khibiny” is an ECM system on an aircraft, as yet unproven use against 60 Tomahawks, (I read some article in Russian media from an air defence expert about the strike in Syria)
Are you telling me that aircraft based ECM jammed those missiles? Because there are other ECM systems that potentially can do the job, but I doubt they were used to half effect, let alone full effect.
Do you really think that the best, most secretive mil systems are just going to be used on the spur of the moment? Or kept for best at date and location, where NATO will learn the hard way and get a nasty surprise. We probably don’t know an 1/8 of what is going on between the US, NATO and Russia.
” when an SU-24 disabled the destroyers electronics, after which it flew over the destroyer 12 times.” Unproven but a good story for morale.
Sorry but I take a jaundiced view of some of the claims that bounce around the internet, 1. there is probably a grain of truth in there but a lot of is useful amplifying for public. Wearing my analyst hat, I tend to be wary about taking those claims at 100% value.
Yours aye
LeDahu
@ LeDahu
Claiming “no proof” while having your head in the sand – while there’s a world of things to know – does not make you look humble, to say the least.
The USS Donald Cook incident is official, a lot of its officers quit as soon as they arrived in Romania (do some humbling research).
And it probably was not the Khibiny that downed most of the 59 Tomahawks but a Krasukha-4 EW system:
* http://www.defenseworld.net/news/16654/Russia___s_Krasukha_4_Electronic_Countermeasure_System_Alerted_Erdogan_Of_Coup#.Wo2YkudG2M9
* https://russiandefpolicy.blog/tag/krasukha-4/
LeDahu
I forgot to mention that drone attack against the Russian Air Force base about a month ago. Small drones were use on purpose, to test Russian AA missile systems and electronics. Every single drone was either shot down by Russian AA missiles, or else they were intercepted by Russian electronics and guided to the earth, where they were captured. They were shown on TV.
LeDahu
“Most Tomahawks did actually hit the airfield, hangers, and missile-radar installations, sat imagery shows it.”
I’m curious about those sat images, would you mind posting links to these?
vot tak
Wrong. Most Tomahawks did not hit the intended targets, which is the reason why two volleys of missiles were fired, as the first ones all missed. Why on earth would the US Navy fire 60 missiles against ONE airfield ? When was the last time it did that ? Further proof of the failed attack lies in the fact that the Syrian Air Force started using the airfield within 24 hours of the attacks. This is well documented.
I have not got the time or inclination to do, a heap of studying & researching to do on ice navigators, just downloaded another dozen research to read and note.
You are welcome to yandex it if you want, or do what I did, review the videos (Russian and Syrian TV) and match them up to the sat imagery at the time. Some of the ‘shots’ are double missile strikes, hence the miscounting in some quarters.
LeDahu
The reason I asked if you had any links is this is what I understand happened:
‘Low efficiency’: Only 23 Tomahawk missiles out of 59 reached Syrian airfield, Russian MoD says
https://www.rt.com/news/383858-syria-us-strike-inefficient/
“The strike on the Shayrat airfield in Syria’s Homs Province destroyed a material storage depot, a training facility, a canteen, six MiG-23 aircraft in repair hangars and a radar station.
The runway, taxiways and the Syrian aircraft on the parking apron remained undamaged, Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement.
The ministry described the combat efficiency of the strike as “quite poor.”
“On April 7, 2017, between 3:42am and 3:56am Moscow time, two US Navy destroyers (USS Porter and USS Ross) fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat airfield in Homs Province, Syria, from an area near the Island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.
“According to our sources, only 23 of them reached the Syrian airbase,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said, adding that the points of impact of the other 36 cruise missiles remain unknown.”
To be clear, my link request had nothing to do with the comment writer B.F. or anything they wrote.
The Russian MOD said 23 “hit their target” (?) reached the airbase, I think that is a little suspect in the figures, as these images imply 44 hits.
https://www.imagesatintl.com/us-strike-syria/
It all disputable, since there’s no way of independently verifying the misses or what got a double-tap.
Nor does the Russia MOD mention them attempting to jam them, spoof them or shoot them down, otherwise there would a lot of debris around the region, closer to the coastline. Since they had been informed of in advance, it would be foolish in my opinion, to let your opponent have the opportunity to study it. I understand that the Russians do fall for the bait so quickly as the West likes to think.
There were instances of one landing in Lattakia region, others hitting a nearby village to the airbase, which suggest some kind of partial spoofing or jamming, but late and much closer to the airbase. Same goes for some missiles in the video footage, mostly intact, within the airbase area, (I think they are part of the other ’36’ or the ’23’ missiles. A photo showed another that exploded in a field. Where are photos of the rest of the crashed missiles?
The Russians were warned to leave the base before the strikes were carried.
Who is to know that the US Navy actually fire 60 missiles in the first place? Did some crash into the sea?
For comparison, just look at the social media response was, with the photos of the Syrian SAM missiles that crashed and landed in orchards and villages last week.
Good to chat with you.
LeDahu
The Russian MOD based their conclusions from on the ground first hand inspections, not from grainy sat photos (worse resolution than from google earth) or u.s. mil press hand outs claiming “x” results. Some of what is claimed as hit in those isi photos one cant tell if there is damage or not. At the resolution shown, it is impossible to see blast craters. One also should consider there may have been ordinance and other flammables stoored in some hangers that went up. Determining damage cause, whether from multiple hits or secondary from stoored ordinance is not possible.
An interesting thing the isi site claimed the tomahawk warhead “is not considered large and weighs about 450 kg.” Among cruise missiles, 450 is on the large side for warheads. For example I believe, from memory, both Kalibre and Exocet warheads are roughly about half that size. 450kg can do considerable damage. Experts would know this. Also from isi:
“An in-depth examination of the damage to the objectives shows that 13 double hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) got 23 hits. 5 workshops got hit. The workshops are not necessarily related to WMD, but to aircraft and their ability to do maintenance and fly.”
WMD? They are using the zionazi propaganda that Syria uses wmds. If they begin that low in credibility, fitting their analysis around that israeloamerican propaganda so it reinforces it is what one should expect from them.
“Nor does the Russia MOD mention them attempting to jam them, spoof them or shoot them down, otherwise there would a lot of debris around the region, closer to the coastline.”
The MOD divulged the minimum amount of info needed to make the americans sweat. No more. Additional info would help the americans develop counters, even where the misses landed would. This is standard military doctrine. I believe the reason the Russians “broke” their usual silence, about the results, was in order to send a very specific message to the israeloamerican military. I also believe the israeloamericans got the message. ;-)
Cheers
Well, spending billions on all types of military equipment, one has to use them. You have to keep the money flowing in, since the military is actually a business venture, rather than for the defense of the country.
This appears to be an opportunity to encourage the American Navy captains to seek safe harbor in a friendly, Russian seaport and partake of the local tourism.
The Russian Federal District of Crimea could deploy slow flying drones that loiter a few hundred feet over each warship. The UAV’s could drop leaflets of pictures showing smiling Russian women holding signs that say, “Don’t be afraid, we won’t bite; stop in and enjoy our delicious food and good conversation. We’ll even teach you a little Russian, free of charge.”
How could they refuse such a warm gesture of hospitality?
One should remember this is the modern usn, the new, new navy*, created during the raygun regime and since maintained and reinforced in that peculiar manner. As such, “pictures showing smiling Russian women” might not catch their interest… ;-D
*Not to be confused with the new navy of the 1880s.
@VT
“pictures showing smiling Russian women”
Sorry, some of the pics might be of interest to the female members of the crew, not sure how either would respond.
My Lord! I’m so sick of this stupidity!
Yawn, they’re just one emp-button away from being sitting ducks.
most recent in the Ukie operation–#pushing up daisies
https://www.fort-russ.com/2018/02/osce-ukrainian-army-advanced.html
Featured Image: Firing Line. US Navy sailors reload 9 mm handguns during a live-fire qualification course aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Carney in the Mediterranean Sea.
I wonder of what use may handguns be aboard a guided missile destroyer? To fight enemy warship – certainly not. To fire at enemy aircraft or submarines? No way. To shoot at Somali pirates? That’s what 25mm chain gun, 20mm Phalanx and .50 MGs are for, and ‘Carney’ has all three. There are surely 7,62 MGs, AR15s and M4s aboard a military vessel, handguns, however, have always denoted higher rank or authority. Plus they were carried by MPs (the subtitle on the photo, however, says ‘sailors’, not MPs). To put down a mutiny aboard ship? Now there’s a thought…
Of course, Americans have always been very handgun oriented, this presumably dates from the times of the Wild West.
Long time ago, towards the end of WW II, an American reporter asked a Soviet general why the Red Army took so little regard about handguns? The general thought a little and answered ‘Pistols don’t win wars’. How true…
I suspect it is part of their annual weapons revalidation, especially if they are designated part of boarding teams.
If Turkey is becoming a true ally of Russia it would make things very difficult indeed, Maybe Erdogan the Mad Sultan will shut off the Black Sea to western ships in retaliation for their support of Kurdistan. The alliance or Turkic, Slavic, Iranic and Chinese people is the only way these Anglo pirates can be driven out of Eurasia. People keep saying that Ottomans and Tsarists were enemies for a millenium, all well and good, but whats the point in maintaining a hatred for future generations?
The sheer brutality and blatant nature of Anglo Imperialism is actually forcing old enemies to become allies .The only people to benefit from a turk war against russia will be the Anglo, playing their tried and tested Divide and Rule trick. Eurasia’s motto should be Unite and Rule. End conflicts and create mutually beneficial relations.. Putin gave Erdogan a second chance after the loss of its jet to Turkish forces, by supporting him against the pro western coup attempt, Erdogan knows he relies on Russia to a great extent, all we can do is wait.
How appropriate that the official photo of Carney transiting the Bosphorus is blood red. An omen for that ship, perhaps?
From now and for the foreseeable future we will see two Aegis equipped units in the Black Sea on a continuous basis. I have not read the Montreux Convention but methinks I should. I have no doubts that US has the units to rotate the needed hulls in and out of the Sea to accomplish a continuous presence and I have few doubts that Bulgaria, Romania and/or Ukraine will in time have similar units to add to the fray and increase the ‘legal’ numbers of these ships in the Black Sea.
The problem with this is multiple. One, the Aegis equipped units are in and of themselves offensive weapon systems, pure and simple. This puts two heavily armed US ships of the shores of Russia. I have few doubts that there are Russian assets watching them 24/7 but the fact remains they are in place and their very presence is a serious threat to Russia plus they tie up Russian assets needed for other tasks in other areas. The problem for the ships is the second their target acquisition systems go live they will survive at best another five minutes and probably less. One wonders if the crews are aware of this fact.
My thoughts are this additional positioning of very modern and dangerous units on the borders of Russia reinforces the fact that armed conflict between US and Russia is coming, and soon.
Auslander
Author
Sevastopol, The Third Defense. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KRPLS4 Book 1, A Premonition, The Move South
Never The Last One https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZGCY8KK A Deep Look In To Russia, Her Culture And Her Armed Forces
“From now and for the foreseeable future we will see two Aegis equipped units in the Black Sea on a continuous basis. ”
The red photo is the twitter banner for US Navy in Europe. What I find ‘odd’ is the mention of the Montreal convention in their press release and in their tweets. As all of the sudden, they feel the need to say and at the same time catalogue all of the 2017 NATO exercises in the Black Sea, they were involved in. (Uh?)
https://twitter.com/USNavyEurope
“I have not read the Montreux Convention but methinks I should. ”
Yes you should.
“I have no doubts that US has the units to rotate the needed hulls in and out of the Sea to accomplish a continuous presence ”
well it depends on what you consider ‘hull’ with 4 Arleigh-Burkes forward deployed in Rota. But the US also an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) that seems to float between mainland Italy and Sicily most of the time. Another ARG is on its way to Europe, with potentially a CVN at a later stage.
“and I have few doubts that Bulgaria, Romania and/or Ukraine will in time have similar units to add to the fray and increase the ‘legal’ numbers of these ships in the Black Sea.”
Agree but Turkey is the one to consider. Since they are being 100% supported by NATO and US in their Afrin campaign.
LeDahu
I’ll read the Montreux in the next couple days, our dance card is pretty full for the week but I’ll find the time, not that my knowledge will make a sliver of difference to US. If US is mentioning Montreux that is a sign that it has every intention of ignoring the conventions and this should not be a surprise.
By hulls I’m talking Aegis equipped ships that can be allowed in to the Black Sea. If I’m not mistaken, and I may be, CVN’s are not allowed to enter and there is a weight limit for individual ships.
Reason I did not mention Turkey is the trust level world wide for that entity is somewhat negative. If Uncle Sugar does pull a fast one and deliver an Aegis equipped ship to any of the aforementioned, it will be a charade, the crews will be American, only the flag at the stern will change.
Problem for US is The Black Sea is a Russian lake. I can understand the rage in Foggy Bottom and Five Points with the utter failure of their attempt to seize Sevastopol and Krimu and it comes as no real surprise to me of this increase of foreign warships in the Sea as an attempt to sidestep that loss, but the basic reality and math still holds. The moment US Navy ship’s target acquisition systems go live, they are dead, more rusting hulks on the bed of the Sea. The only good thing for the crews of the lost ships is there are no sharks in the Black Sea beyond a 1 meter max shallow water dweller who is not aggressive to us two legs. No tide, either.
Auslander
Totally agree:
Here’s a dollop of US hubris in the CNN article:
https://twitter.com/LepontDahu/status/965892079179190272
It does strangely remind me of that great cartoon of Uncle Sam getting angry at the Russian bear on his side of the red line border. I just can’t find again, since I changed computers.
NATO and Washington better take into consideration Ukraine’s internal situation, which is deplorable, deteriorating by the month. On Sunday citizens of Kiev demonstrated against Poroshenko. According to journalists, there were 10.000 demonstrators, and according to Government estimates, there were 3.000. If one takes into account the activities of the neo-Nazis in Ukraine, this was indeed a brave act by the citizens of Kiev. As I have written before, if Poroshenko, under pressure from NATO does attack the Donbass, chances are he will get a reverse Maidan. Washington better take this into account.
The addressee of what ever these two vessels are supposed to project is also Erdogan and the Eastern European NATO members which might not feel as hostile towards Russia as required by Ceasar, not only the Russians.
I doubt if they would last very long in a conflict. They are just nuisance value and just another illustration of the hubris and arrogance of the US.
Thanks, all, for your comments. The photo of the people firing their 9mm handguns was illustrative, given all of the never-ending gun violence (including now near constant school shootings) in the US. Heads up, friends! As a follow on to all of these Black Sea developments, let’s move closer to home and monitor progress on The Agenda domestically ….. from the sometimes bizarre, sometimes well- written Before Its News website, carefully check out the list of links fro the article “National School Walkout March 14, Red Flags everywhere”. The goal is to exhaust people, wear them out. Completely! Shooting wars on All fronts, Massive body counts, civilians and soldiers alike. Short of a major series of miracles, they Are going to get their bloody wars.
If I was Pres. Putin I would be very concerned, and I’m sure he is. They are planning something big for the upcoming election. I think they may be planning an attack in Ukraine; also against Crimea at the same time. They want to do this while Russians are busy with the election, just like they’ve timed all their previous evil deeds, like during the Sochi Olympics. I’m sure Russia will be on her toes, but it’s totally disgusting that they keep doing this and is probably tiresome for Russia to deal with. I wish US had leaders that cared about it’s world standing or rule of law, but I guess that’s too much to ask for. They will continue to squat in Syria causing grief there, will continue giving Ukraine arms, will continue to bully Russia at all her borders until she finally says ‘Enough!’ Too bad Khrushchev couldn’t make a surprise visitation – he’d show them the door pronto!
My last submit “A reminiscence of the hitlerian brownshirt.” was really intended for the following link embedded in a comment.
https://sputniknews.com/us/201802191061792093-usa-russia-ukraine-kiev-incident/
Sorry by my mistake.