US ship fires on boat off Dubai, 1 dead

[Token White Guy]

It has relevance, it is about identifying civilian and military objects

Stop trolling. You're usually mild mannered but today you are acting like a complete dick head.

[themacedonian]

Washington (CNN) -- A U.S. military supply ship fired Monday at a small boat in the Persian Gulf after it came too close, apparently killing one person on board, two U.S. officials said.
The USNS Rappahannock, a fuel resupply ship, fired on what the officials called a "small, white pleasure craft" 10 miles from the Dubai port of Jebel Ali.
The small boat appeared to be headed for that port, the officials said, adding that their information was preliminary. The U.S. ship verbally warned the smaller boat when it was 1,200 yards away and fired at least one warning shot before the decision was made to fire shots to disable the boat, the officials said.
"In accordance with Navy force protection procedures, the sailors on the USNS Rappahannock ... used a series of non-lethal, preplanned responses to warn the vessel before resorting to lethal force," the Navy said in a statement.
"The U.S. crew repeatedly attempted to warn the vessel's operators to turn away from their deliberate approach. When those efforts failed to deter the approaching vessel, the security team on the Rappahannock fired rounds from a .50-caliber machine gun."
Officials described the course of events as standard procedures when a small boat gets too close to a U.S. Navy ship.
The officials, who would not be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation, also described the small boat as having made a series of maneuvers, but emphasized they were waiting for more details about what exactly happened.

The incident is under investigation.


So what is the "critical distance" to a ship where lethal force is allowed?

[Elemental666]

It has relevance, it is about identifying civilian and military objects

I'm sure you'd be the first to jump and criticize an Iranian warship if it was opening fire on civilian vessel approaching it with an unclear intention.

[cmc]

Also, an interesting read: https://www.usnwc.edu/getattachment/...o-ROE-Handbook

[BlackFlag]

Its simple to distinguish a Persian Iranian with a Arab who wears a towel on his head. Ahhh, you are trying to defend the shooting down of the civilian airliner by using some military correct sentences ?

lol wut?

In all seriousness. It's pretty sh*tty of you to try and use the "towel head" racial epithet.

[cmc]

So what is the "critical distance" to a ship where lethal force is allowed?

Some sources speak of a distance of 200m, but not sure if correct. As the article mentions a distance of 1200 for verbal warnings, the 200m range seems plausible..

[greatza1]

Boat was repeatedly warned away before shooting took place but kept approaching.

What language was used? Do the US Navy adapt the standard procedures according to the language used by the locals?

[Bro Jangles]

What language was used?

Well, a warning shot is usually a universal language to **** off.

[gastrion]

What language was used?

The international language known as "show of force", also understood by animals.

[geolocator]

but one that failed to heed to any calls.

What calls they were? The people could't even know English or even were not sailors.

Its a bad idea to approach a warship but cases when small boats approach them from curiosity are quite often.
In any case I think its a casualty and should be forgotten as soon as possible.

[Bro Jangles]

What calls they were? The people could't even know English or even were not sailors.

Its a bad idea to approach a warship but cases when small boats approach them from curiosity are quite often.
In any case I think its a casualty and should be forgotten as soon as possible.

Well, a warning shot is usually a universal language to **** off.

^^^^^^^^^^

[LineDoggie]

What about if that person who made a mistake gets a medal for its mistake ?

What if a Hostage taker becomes President like your dwarf Aminejhad.

[LineDoggie]

Some countries simply have licence to shoot, no matter what the circumstances are. Some can not even defend their own sovereignty.

^^^ American ship, foreign citizens, auto justified.

[Popsiq]

Hotheaded revolutionary guards, crazy suicidal bombers or stupid tourists.. it makes little difference if they don't respect the procedures when approaching war ships..

And those 'procedures' would be? .... Don't. With all the hi-tech wizardry, we still can't tell the difference.
It might not be too wise if all navies adopted such 'procedures'.

Maybe a remake of that infamous funny about the US cruser and the Irish lighthouse is in order.
This time the Irish get shelled into the stone age. Much less funny perhaps, but much more gratifying.

[Corrupt]

What calls they were? The people could't even know English or even were not sailors.

Warning shots are pretty hard to misinterpret.

And those 'procedures' would be? .... Don't. It might not be too wise if all navies adopted the 'procedure'.

Most first world navies follow a similar procedure. Telling the vessel to stop. If they ignore that, warning shots.