Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnews!military
From: tek@CS.UCLA.EDU
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Praying Mantis
Message-ID: <6746@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 20 May 89 03:17:22 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 42
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: tek@CS.UCLA.EDU

Upon reading the description of Operation Praying Mantis (the
retaliatory action against Iranian oil platforms and the ensuing naval
battles) in the USNI Naval Review, some questions came to mind.

In that encounter, the Iranian ship PTG Joshan launched a HARPOON at a
force of three USN ships steaming line abreast 13nm away. Chaff was
launched. A helo also attempted to decoy the missile. The HARPOON
passed close by the starboard side of USS Wainwright. Joshan was
disabled and eventually sunk by return fire which included a HARPOON
and SM2s in surface to surface mode. 

The magazine says the Joshan's HARPOON may have failed to guide
properly. Is it possible, that HARPOON reliability is not too good?
(The Joshan's missile was probably the earliest version. Apparently, a
few HARPOONs got to Iran before the Shah fell.) I suppose, it is
possible the Iranians did not properly maintain their equipment. The
magazine does not really say if the helo or the chaff did any good or
if ECM was employed. While the Joshan really had no chance, it still
seems to me that the Wainwright crew was pretty lucky too.  

If the Joshan's HARPOON had guided properly, I wonder what would have
happened. You would think the SM2s (which is supposed to have some
sea-skimmer capability) maybe should have been fired at the HARPOON,
instead of the Joshan. I wonder if SM2s were on the rails ready to go
and the weapon director was in anti-air mode.

I wonder if the USN ships had their Phalanx on. I also wonder about
their orientation to the Joshan. I think the Wainwright's Phalanx guns
point to the starboard and port sides. Another ship in the force (OH
Perry class) has its one Phalanx mounted facing the aft arc. If they
were going line abreast, someone was probably out of position. Given
their range, they would not be able to turn in time to correct their
firing arcs. Somebody had a lucky rabbit's foot. 

Ted Kim                           ARPAnet: tek@penzance.cs.ucla.edu
UCLA Computer Science Department  UUCP:    ...!ucbvax!cs.ucla.edu!tek
3804C Boelter Hall                PHONE:   (213) 206-8696
Los Angeles, CA 90024             ESPnet:  tek@ouija.board