Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
From: wyvern@agora.hf.intel.com (Scott Sanford)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: How to assault a tanker
Message-ID: <1990Aug30.030546.480@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 30 Aug 90 03:05:46 GMT
References: <1990Aug28.042834.29477@cbnews.att.com>
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From: wyvern@agora.hf.intel.com (Scott Sanford)
In article <foobar> jtchew@csa2.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW) writes:
>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?  
>
  [Various suggestions deleted, to save space.]
>
>Obviously the Iraquis have been thinking about it as well. :)  Does anybody
>have any ideas on how we might accomplish this?

  This came up in a Fredrick Forsythe novel (The Devil's Alternative?);
I've since forgotten how it was resolved, though I recall that a number of
alternatives were discussed.
  I think it necessary that any assault of a tanker will have severe limits
on the weaponry used, for obvious reasons.  Penetration is a main worry
of police, in an urban theatre, and they don't have to worry about a
stray round launching everyone into orbit...  API is out!
  No doubt the team would use weapons and ammo would be selected for
safety, as much as is possible; low-velocity hollowpoint rounds and
shotguns both suggest themselves.  Does anyone know what the current SWAT
favorites might be?  This can be viewed as a 'barricaded with hostages'
situation, and SWAT teams get more real-world practice than the Special
Ops folks.
  I am personally inclined to think that the best approach is underwater,
given that a tanker won't have the detection systems to prevent frogmen or
microsubs from surprising the crew.  Ideally, one would like the Special
Ops team to take the ship with as little fuss and bother as possible, to
minimize the likelyhood of the opposition preparing a surprise (bombs,
dumping cargo, etc.).

"Never precede any maneuver with a              wyvern@agora.hf.intel.com
comment more predictive than 'Watch this!'"  (Anonymous)