Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
From: budden@trout.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: How to assault a tanker
Message-ID: <1990Aug31.031317.25609@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 31 Aug 90 03:13:17 GMT
References: <1990Aug28.042834.29477@cbnews.att.com> <1990Aug29.014734.8196@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Lines: 26
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: budden@trout.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg)

First a couple of technical corrections.  The freighter that got away
into Mexican waters from Cuba was fired into by a Coast Guard 110
foot patrol boat.  Those guys carry .50 cal, not 76mm.  However,
the 50 would have done a satisfactory job had the intent been to 
stop the ship with no legal/political strings attached.  For
this class of vessel (~200 feet), a 50 will make more than enough
of a mess in the engine room to stop a vessel (and usually turn it
into a sinker).

On the other hand, a tanker is a somewhat different target.  The
analogy doesn't hold.  The .50 routine will do a convincing
job to the pilothouse and any people up there.  But the engineroom
is far enough below the waterline (assume we are loaded here, not
in ballast) that disabling fire from any size ballistic weapon is
touchy.  (also assuming we don't want to breach oil tanks).
     I think my weapon of choice would be an acoustic torpedo,
probably an ASW rather than heavy one.  Acoustic because it goes
for screw noise.  And ASW-sized for limited damage.
     Problem is that the tanker is now your problem.  So you sieze
a DIW oil tank.  Now whaddya do with it?  Could be a loooong tow.

Rex Buddenberg