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From: cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: How to assault a tanker
Message-ID: <1990Aug29.014734.8196@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 29 Aug 90 01:47:34 GMT
References: <1990Aug28.042834.29477@cbnews.att.com>
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From: cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold)
> 
> From: jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW)
> So, how do you stop a Very Large Crude Carrier from running a naval
> blockade without setting it on fire or, worse, breaching the hull,
> which could make the Exxon Valdez accident look like a Coppertone spill 
> in a hot tub?  

In Viet Nam, Market Time units had several run-ins with 110-foot steel
trawlers, which they attempted to stop and board.  These all managed
to make it to the beach, although under fire from several PCFs and
82' WPBs (.50 cal plus 81mm mortars).  The lesson was that you needed
more firepower to STOP a vessel that made a determined dash for it.
3" guns (from DERs) were not enough, either.

Lately, in the Gulf of Mexico, a CG cutter attempted to stop a 
freighter suspected of carrying drugs (don't recall the tonnage, but
I am sure it is less than a tanker).  They fired a considerable number
of 76mm rounds into the stern area in an attempt to disable the steering.
The freighter just kept right on going and made it into Mexican waters,
at which point the chase was halted.  I think the chase was in excess
of 20 miles.

So I would say this is not a particularly straight-forward job, depending
on (a) the willingness of the tanker master to take damage, and (b) the
willingness of the "allied" commander to do potentially lethal damage.
Simply shooting out the steering seems to be a low probability move.
Putting a boarding party on the ship from a small boat is possible, but
not enjoyable; maybe impossible if the boardees resist.

I like the helo idea.  For this you would need at least two helos capable
of carrying 6-8 Marines.  It would help if the helos had MGs to clear 
the floating LZ if necessary.  Yes, there is plenty of room on the tanker
deck (watch out for antennae!).  I don't think the LAMPS I or II will 
fill this bill.  I think this is the only way to stop a tanker in a
reasonably short time and distance.

As for sinking a tanker - not particularly easy to do.  Recall that one
hit a mine and barely lost a beat.  Iranians regularly pumped RPG7's
into tankers, with no particular damage other than cosmetic and an 
occasional fire.  None were sunk, that I know of.