Syrian Weapons Disposal: Internatioal Mission

This thread will focus on the large multi-nation effort to destroy the Syrian chemical weapons.

That mission has already begun.

It involves the weapons being gathered at the Syrian port of from numerous depot sites around Syria. At the port, Latakia, the chemcial weapons will be loaded onto Danish cargo ships for transfer. These ships will then be escorted by several nation's warships (named below) to an un-named port in Italy. Once there, the most lethal weapons will be loaded on a US Military Sealift Command vessel to be transported out into international waters in the Mediteranean Sea and destroyed.

Other less dangerous weapons will be transported to commercial facilities, neutralized and destroyed.

Currently the ships included in the operation include the following:

First the Danish Navy Abslon Class mulit-purpose patrol vessel, Esbern Snare, L17.

Displacement: 6,600 tons
Length: 449'
Beam: 64'
Draft: 21'


Second, the Danish Cargo vessel, the RORO ship, Ark Futura:

Displacement: 18,750 tons
Length: 595'
Beam: 106'
Draft: 24'


Third, the Norwegian Navy Friedof Nansen Class guided-missile friagte, the Helga Instad, F313:

Displacement: 5,500 tons
Length: 436'
Beam: 51'
Draft: 15'


Fourth, the Russian Navy Kirov Class nuclear battle cruiser, Petr Velikiy, 099:

Displacement: 28,000 tons
Length: 827'
Beam: 94'
Draft: 30'


Fifth, the Chinese Navy Type 054A Class guided-missile frigate, Yancheng, F546:

Displacement: 4,000 tons
Length: 440'
Beam: 52'
Draft: 20'


Sixth, the US Military Sealigt Command vessel, the USNS Cape Ray, T-AKR 9679:

Displacement: 35,500 tons
Length: 648'
Beam: 105'
Draft: 32'


The USNS Cape Ray has been specially outfitted with the necessary equipment to neutralize the Syrian chemical weapons and destroy them. It is likely other US Navy vessels will help escort the USNS Cape Ray once chemcial weapons are loaded aboard her and she sets out to sea. When those vessels are identified, they will be listed here on this thread.

If you are aware of other vessels involved...and if you wish to respectfully, and in a reasoned fashion discuss this international operation...please do so on this thead.

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

The process to be applied to destroying the Syrian Chemical Weapons using the naval ships and ports named below:

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

How many of these chemical transfer trips will this take to destroy all of Syria's chemical weapons?

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

Equation said:

How many of these chemical transfer trips will this take to destroy all of Syria's chemical weapons?

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I have no idea...but I bet it will be quite a few...though you can get quite a lot of weapons on a vessel the size of the Ark Futura.

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

Jeff Head said:

I have no idea...but I bet it will be quite a few...though you can get quite a lot of weapons on a vessel the size of the Ark Futura.

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Ok...now here's the tricky question. I know it's an international effort and a good one indeed, but WHO IS paying for all of this?

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

The group responsible for contracting it was the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, so it likely comes from the Money pit know as the United Nations which its self is funded by the support of nations the lions share of that funding comes from American tax payers like you and me....

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

Lot of force deployed to the sea, sound like a little over kill or for better trust issue. However, on land only Syrian force is in responsible which I think most of the problem might occur here. For example, if the FSA or any rebels want some of the weapon, they can set ambush on half way, rob or steal. Or if the Syrian force itself do not want to handle all the stock to international force, they can create some accident and drop some on the half way. God knows!

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

Why did they use a civilian cargo ship to transport the chemical weapons instead of a military ship from one of the Sea Lift Commands?

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

Jeff Head said:

The process to be applied to destroying the Syrian Chemical Weapons using the naval ships and ports named below:

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There's a Rube Goldberg smell to this mission.

Re: International Mission: Syrian Chemical Weapon Destrruction

Blackstone said:

Why did they use a civilian cargo ship to transport the chemical weapons instead of a military ship from one of the Sea Lift Commands?

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It's what the Danes and the Norwegians offered. A goodly sized, modern cargo RORO vessel, escorted by two of the best military vessels each nation had. They took them up on it.