Since I've talking about landbased "Sabre" vehicles in the Army section, I thought it might be worth discussing the possibilities and merits of some low level and improvised enhancements of the Naval services fighting capabilities.
Before anyone starts I'm not suggestion we make our own SSMs or try and take on a well equipped Naval force with some macho looking PVs.
However as HPT Murphy highlighted during the Niamh's deployment to Liberia the PVs are very vulnerable, I was wondering what could be done to enhance their survivability against poorly equipped or irregular forces?
The possible roles could be anti-piracy patrols or the landing of an advance party in the event of no safe airfield being available despite an otherwise permissive entry, or fire support for landing parties going up against Unita regular battalion style opposition.
1.Would it be as simple as bolting some M2s, Mk19s, M82s etc to the deck?
2. Could ATGMs be used from ship against ship or shore targets, similarly can MANPADS be safely deployed on a ship to protect against weaker air threats like MiG-17s or Helicopters, armed transports.
3. If a 120mm MRLS can be deployed on a UNIMOG truck could it be employed for ship to shore batteries with a minimum of modification to the ship?
4. Whats the potential for the arming of RIBs or RHIBS WMIK style? are there other more suitable platforms for anti-piracy, raiding or COIN missions.
5. Finally would NS personnel actually be willing to undertake these types of missions? and would army bods be needed to operate the additional weapons systems?
Before anyone starts I'm not suggestion we make our own SSMs or try and take on a well equipped Naval force with some macho looking PVs.
However as HPT Murphy highlighted during the Niamh's deployment to Liberia the PVs are very vulnerable, I was wondering what could be done to enhance their survivability against poorly equipped or irregular forces?
The possible roles could be anti-piracy patrols or the landing of an advance party in the event of no safe airfield being available despite an otherwise permissive entry, or fire support for landing parties going up against Unita regular battalion style opposition.
1.Would it be as simple as bolting some M2s, Mk19s, M82s etc to the deck?
2. Could ATGMs be used from ship against ship or shore targets, similarly can MANPADS be safely deployed on a ship to protect against weaker air threats like MiG-17s or Helicopters, armed transports.
3. If a 120mm MRLS can be deployed on a UNIMOG truck could it be employed for ship to shore batteries with a minimum of modification to the ship?
4. Whats the potential for the arming of RIBs or RHIBS WMIK style? are there other more suitable platforms for anti-piracy, raiding or COIN missions.
5. Finally would NS personnel actually be willing to undertake these types of missions? and would army bods be needed to operate the additional weapons systems?
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