Do you think that Iraq could challenge and degrade Iranian naval capability at any point? Iraq never had a credible naval capability to begin with. Therefore, your argument of Iranian naval capability being an EXHAUSTED REMNANTS by 1988 is this: EXCUSE.
"On April 14, 1988, while on patrol in the Central Persian Gulf, the U.S. frigate Samuel B. Roberts struck an Iranian mine, blowing a massive hole in its hull and breaking its keel. If it wasn’t for the heroic efforts of its crew,
the ship would have been lost. In retaliation, the U.S. launched Operation Praying Mantis four days later, destroying
two Iranian oil terminals, sinking the Iranian corvette Sahand, the missile patrol boat Joshan and severely damaging a second corvette Sabalan. It was a devastating loss for the IRIN and Iran as a whole. The battle clearly illuminated the IRIN’s deficiencies in conducting conventional warfare at sea against a capable opponent. The Iran-Iraq War, including the Tanker War, would end only a few months following Operation Praying Mantis, but the engagement would leave an impression on Iran’s military leaders and shaped Iran’s naval forces in the decades that followed." - Office of Naval Intelligence (IRAN; 2017)
Notice the sentence: "IRIN's deficiencies in conducting conventional warfare at sea against a capable opponent."
CAPABLE OPPONENT being the KEY TERM.
And USN did not commit a huge naval force to degrade Iranian naval capability back in 1988; just one Strike Group took part in Operation Praying Mantis. And USN had its own share of shortcomings at the time:
"The Americans were woefully unprepared at first, lacking minehunting gear and effective self-defense systems against anti-ship missiles—and neglecting close coordination with the Iraqis. The latter oversight resulted in an Iraqi jet accidentally hitting the American frigate USS Stark with a missile in May 1986, killing 37 sailors.
But American methods improved. The Navy converted two oil-service barges into “sea bases” for Special Operations Forces and armed helicopters, and the Army placed attack copters aboard Navy ships. On Sept. 21, Army Little Bird helicopters from the famed 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment—the “Nightstalkers”—attacked the Iranian vessel Ajr as she laid mines, forcing the crew to abandon ship.
A few days later, Little Birds approached three Iranian patrol boats suspected of setting up a tanker attack. The boats opened fire and the copters hit back, sinking all three."
Source:
https://warisboring.com/all-the-times-the-iranian-navy-got-its-***-kicked/
Yes, Iranian naval capabilities are better as of 2018, but you think that USN was/is sleeping?
"The result of which is an Iranian fleet that in 2017 is still composed mostly of designs from the 1960s, including survivors of the lopsided engagements with the Americans. It’s a fleet that stood little chance against the U.S. in 1987 and 1988—and is even more hopelessly outclassed today."
Source:
https://warisboring.com/all-the-times-the-iranian-navy-got-its-***-kicked/
LMAO
Thanks for making me laugh; I needed one.
The simulation in question, is not reality, so get over it.
Silent Hammer (2004) was a much more realistic exercise in comparison:
https://www.public.navy.mil/subfor/underseawarfaremagazine/Issues/Archives/issue_25/hammer.htm
Forget even that.
USN [now] pack credible defenses against sea-skimming cruise missiles and even ASBM; numerous live-fire experiments conducted to validate these capabilities, and these capabilities were actually put to the test in real-time near Yemeni shores in 2016 (Chinese C-802 ASCM also flopped). Not just these developments, but USN have developed counters* to Iranian 'swarm attack' strategy.
*Some pointers:
[1]
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/8052/a-10-warthogs-practice-blasting-swarms-of-small-boats
[2]
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-navy-iran-commentary-idUSKCN1151SB
At the least, try to understand how capable USN is on the whole through basic searching, and how it chooses to fight (history). Do not restrict your worldview to a single botched simulation in 2002; grave error.
Pity your naivety and mindset.
Let me refresh your memory:
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/29/...er-iran-threat-to-close-strait-of-hormuz.html
American response:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...allow-hormuz-disruption-idUSTRE7BR09E20111228
Who backed out from the threats to CLOSE the straight of Hormuz in 2011? Here: IRAN
And:
https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/05/05/irans-hollow-threats-to-close-the-strait-of-hormuz/
You heard that right. HOLLOW is the word.
