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FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Exactly a first with many lessons to deduct, SM-2, ESSM and ECM used many things interestings.

US Navy’s ship-defense systems may have shown they work in real-life scenarios

USS Mason (DDG-87) is a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer equipped with a range of combat systems providing it with capabilities for surface, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft warfare.
The ship also features Raytheon’s anti-ship missile defense systems including the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) and Standard Missile-2 (SM-2).

On Sunday, October 9, Mason was targeted by what appear to be Chinese-built C-802 anti-ship missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen.

According to a report by the USNI News, Mason’s crew launched two SM-2 missiles and one Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile to defend from the incoming threat.

The destroyer also employed Lockheed Martin’s Nulka decoy. The decoy system works by simulating a radar return from a large ship overlapping the “target” signal. In theory, the decoy provides a larger, more attractive target to the missile consistent with the ASM’s range and angle tracking and moves slowly away from the ship, thus defeating the threat.

While the Chinese-made anti-ship missiles failed to hit their targets and ended up in the sea, Navy officials are still uncertain to what extent Mason’s defense mechanics contributed to the outcome. “It is unclear whether this [Mason’s defense systems] led to the missile striking the water or whether it would have struck the water anyway,” USNI News quoted a defense official as saying.

Regardless of the outcome of an investigation that will show whether the SM-2 really worked, Bryan Clark, a naval analyst at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments told USNI News that the Sunday’s event was a “huge deal” for the Navy as this might have been the first time the SM-2 was used against an actual threat adding that this was definitely the first time ESSM has been used.

USS Mason was off the coast of Yemen in the Bab al-Mandab strait where it was dispatched along with two other U.S. Navy ships following an attack on UAE Navy vessel HSV-2 Swift which almost sank.

HSV-2 Swift is an aluminium high speed transfer vessel with no anti-ship missile defense. A missile similar to one fired at USS Mason hit HSV-2 Swift and caused almost enough damage to
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if I were you, I wouldn't cheer yet:
U.S. Navy destroyer again targeted by missiles from Yemen: U.S. officials

source is Reuters:
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While it's nice to see the USN swat these missiles down without much trouble I think proportionate retaliation is definitely called for without getting sucked deeper into the wider conflict.
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Jura said:
if I were you, I wouldn't cheer yet:
U.S. Navy destroyer again targeted by missiles from Yemen: U.S. officials.
If they are being openly fired at in international waters in that strait, they should organize an operation to seek out and destroy the missile launching installations, the radars, and the fighters manning them.

That wouold be enough.

Park one carrier a couple of hundred missiles off shore and then watch closely (and they have probably already been doing that) with AEW and other assets, to see where they are coning from...and hen take a several day operation t swat every site they can identify.
 
If they are being openly fired at in international waters in that strait, they should organize an operation to seek out and destroy the missile launching installations, the radars, and the fighters manning them.

That wouold be enough.

Park one carrier a couple of hundred missiles off shore and then watch closely (and they have probably already been doing that) with AEW and other assets, to see where they are coning from...and hen take a several day operation t swat every site they can identify.
related:
Pentagon Pledges to Respond in ‘Appropriate Manner’ After New Yemen Missile Attack on USS Mason
Houthi rebels fired two more cruise missiles at the guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG-87) on Wednesday and Pentagon officials are pledging a response, DoD spokesman Peter Cook said in a Wednesday statement.

“For the second time in four days, USS Mason responded to an incoming missile threat while conducting routine operations in international waters off the Red Sea coast of Yemen,” Cook said.
“Those who threaten our forces should know that U.S. commanders retain the right to defend their ships, and we will respond to this threat at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner.”

Mason was operating in the strait of Bab el-Mandeb when two costal defense missiles were launched at the ship from the vicinity of southern city of Al Hudaydah at around 1800 local time (1100 EST), according to information from defense officials provided to USNI News.

The missile attack did not result in any damage to the ship or injuries to the crew, Cook said.

Mason used unspecified countermeasures following the launch of the cruise missiles. However, it’s unclear whether the missiles missed their target and hit the water because of actions by the ship’s crew or if the missiles failed on their own.

“USS Mason fired defensive salvos in response to at least one missile which did not hit the ship or caused any damage,”
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“Indications are that the second salvo brought down an incoming missile, one U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.”

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson praised the actions of the crew in a statement provided to USNI News on Wednesday.

“The team on USS Mason demonstrated initiative and toughness as they defended themselves and others against these unfounded attacks over the weekend and again today. All Americans should be proud of them.” he said.
“These unjustified attacks are serious, but they will not deter us from our mission. We are trained and ready to defend ourselves and to respond quickly and decisively.”

The latest incident follows a separate attack on Sunday in which Mason had to defend itself from two missiles—believed to be Chinese-built C-802s (NATO reporting name CSS-N-8 Saccade) and provided to the Houthi rebels by Iran.

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fired two SM-2s and an Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM) to intercept the missiles launched from southern Yemen, USNI News reported on Tuesday. It’s not clear if Mason fired additional interceptors to counter the missiles from Yemen in Wednesday’s attack.

While the C-802s—based on the French Exocet anti-ship missile—are likely more than a decade old, they feature a powerful warhead capable of severely damaging the most sophisticated warship. A single air-launched Exocet sank the Royal Navy frigate HMS Sheffield during the Falklands War in 1982.

The havoc the warhead can inflict is evident in the damage on the UAE- operated HSV Swift, which earlier was attacked by what is likely a C-802 launched by Houthi rebels

Combined with the Sunday attack, Wednesday’s incident is evidence of how easily weapons having the power to sink a $2 billion U.S. warship have fallen into the hands of non-state actors, Eric Wertheim—naval analyst and author of U.S. Naval Institute’s Combat Fleets of the World—told USNI News on Wednesday.

“It shows how easily these missiles can get into the hands of anyone who wants them and that our ships have to be ready,” he said. “It highlights the danger to shipping from even the most disorganized groups.”

Until now, the most recent attack against a warship with a guided missile from a non-state actor was the 2006 strike on the Israeli corvette INS Hanit by an
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“It wouldn’t surprise me if we see more of this,” Wertheim said.

Last week, the United States sent three warships—Mason, USS Nitze (DDG-94) and the afloat forward staging base USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15)—as part of a presence mission off the southern coast of Yemen following the destruction of Swift.

The presence of the U.S. ships is in part to reassure commercial traffic that transits the strait that connects the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean—one of the busiest maritime traffic zones in the world.

The attacks come as the U.S. is evaluating its support for the Saudi-led coaltion that has been fighting the Iran-backed Houthis since last year. A coalition bombing of a funeral that killed 140 and injured more than 500 came ahead of the first attack against Mason.

The following is the complete Oct. 12 statements from DoD spokesman Peter Cook and CNO Adm. John Richardson.

Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on USS Mason

For the second time in four days, USS Mason responded to an incoming missile threat while conducting routine operations in international waters off the Red Sea coast of Yemen. At about 6 p.m. local time today (11 a.m. EDT), the ship detected at least one missile that we assess originated from Houthi-controlled territory near Al Hudaydah, Yemen. The ship employed defensive countermeasures, and the missile did not reach USS Mason. There was no damage to the ship or its crew. USS Mason will continue its operations. Those who threaten our forces should know that U.S. commanders retain the right to defend their ships, and we will respond to this threat at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner.

Statement from Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson:

“The US Navy remains on watch in the Red Sea and around the world to defend America from attack and to protect U.S. strategic interests. These unjustified attacks are serious, but they will not deter us from our mission. We are trained and ready to defend ourselves and to respond quickly and decisively.
The team on USS Mason demonstrated initiative and toughness as they defended themselves and others against these unfounded attacks over the weekend and again today. All Americans should be proud of them.”
source:
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Hyperwarp

Captain
Retaliation has started. Tomahawks used.

US strikes hit 3 radar sites in Yemen, Pentagon says
By Faith Karimi and Ryan Browne, CNN

(CNN)Three US strikes hit radar sites in Yemen early Thursday, hours after missiles targeted a US warship in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said.

The strikes were carried out in "self defense," the Pentagon said.

***

Source -
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If they are being openly fired at in international waters in that strait, they should organize an operation to seek out and destroy the missile launching installations, the radars, and the fighters manning them.

That wouold be enough.

Park one carrier a couple of hundred missiles off shore and then watch closely (and they have probably already been doing that) with AEW and other assets, to see where they are coning from...and hen take a several day operation t swat every site they can identify.
Jeff if it was true what's described inside
US destroys three Houthi-controlled radar sites in Yemen: Pentagon
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I would say you guessed!

Hyperwarp
(the post right above)
was faster by several seconds LOL!

EDIT
the vid:
RED SEA (Oct. 13, 2016) The guided missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) launches a strike against three coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory on Yemen's Red Sea coast. Due to hostile acts, continuing and imminent threat of force, and multiple threats to vessels in the Bab-al Mandeb Strait, including U.S. naval vessels, Nitze struck the sites, which were used to attack U.S. ships operating in international waters, threatening freedom of navigation. Nitze is deployed to the 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. (U.S. Navy Video/Released) 161013-N-KL526-003
I now found inside
Video: US launches Tomahawk’s at Yemen after another attack on USS Mason
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Last edited:

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Jeff if it was true what's described inside
US destroys three Houthi-controlled radar sites in Yemen: Pentagon
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I would say you guessed!

Hyperwarp
(the post right above)
was faster by several seconds LOL!

RED SEA (Oct. 13, 2016) The guided missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) launches a strike against three coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled territory on Yemen's Red Sea coast. Due to hostile acts, continuing and imminent threat of force, and multiple threats to vessels in the Bab-al Mandeb Strait, including U.S. naval vessels, Nitze struck the sites, which were used to attack U.S. ships operating in international waters, threatening freedom of navigation. Nitze is deployed to the 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. (U.S. Navy Video/Released) 161013-N-KL526-003

Yes Sirs ! in the right stuff :cool:
 
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