Not sure what Iran plan on doing with the tanker, they can't sail it somewhere else and sell it. The UK doesn't actually own the tanker, some company does.
They will probably use it as a bargaining tool to secure the release of their own tanker.
We'll just go in and free the ship. They can annoy us but they can't win.
I doubt that, it's not easy making a getaway with a slow moving giant bomb.
War it is then. May as well put our equipment to good use. This is exactly why cutbacks don’t work.
Time to dust off the nukes I guess
Here’s a radical idea, how bout we release there ship and they release our ship and we promise not to capture each other ships again.
What are our options here, really?
So there is a Destroyer and Frigate there, plus a number of smaller vessels not much good in a situation like this.
A helicopter carrier (HMS Ocean) sure would have been handy here, carrying 6 Apache gunships.
Would an Astute class sub in the area be of any use - I'd imagine they are more geared to attack large ships rather the fast small boats used by the Iranians.
The Type 45 destroyer is an excellent air defence ship, but limited in ship to boat combat I believe?
A few more frigates in the area would be good, with their Harpoon anti ship missile and Wildcat helicopters with Sea Skua.
To be honest, a few rounds from the 4.5" gun would frighten off the Iranians but would be quite an escalation in using it to warn them off.
Are merchant ships, eg oil tankers armed?
Mal
I doubt that, it's not easy making a getaway with a slow moving giant bomb.
I think the Type 23's are armed with the 30mm DS30M Mark 2 which is specifically designed to take on small fast moving craft. Not sure if the Type 45 is also armed with them.
Are merchant ships, eg oil tankers armed?
I think the Type 23's are armed with the 30mm DS30M Mark 2 which is specifically designed to take on small fast moving craft. Not sure if the Type 45 is also armed with them.