All photos are from the Army Historical Site.
Note: The next war on the river will tell us whether small, lightly armed and armored boats are as survivable as those used by the Army's Riverine Force in Vietnam. I'd bet that they aren't and that someone will have to re-invent the wheel.
Note: The next war on the river will tell us whether small, lightly armed and armored boats are as survivable as those used by the Army's Riverine Force in Vietnam. I'd bet that they aren't and that someone will have to re-invent the wheel.
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| LST WITH ARMORED TROOP CARRIERS AND MONITORS |
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| ARMORED TROOP CARRIER |
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| SELF-PROPELLED BARRACKS SHIP WITH AMMI BARGE MOORED ALONGSIDE |
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| ASSAULT SUPPORT PATROL BOAT. A high-speed armored boat used for waterway interdiction, surveillance, escort, mine-sweeping, and fire support. |
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| COMMAND AND COMMUNICATIONS BOAT |
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| MONITOR |
Some of these look like their only one evolutionary cycle removed from Civil War brown water navies.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.irononthered.com/Photographs.htm
Wow! awesome website! its suppose to rain this weekend so i know what i'll be diving into!
DeleteWith the advent of fully stabilized RWS stations... Imagine 2 - 4 Mk51 mounts per side with a mix of 50 cal and M230 30mm cannons.
ReplyDeleteAdd some armored Hellfire Box launchers for good measure. Throw in a DAGR or two.
that would indeed be formidable...but don't forget the need for armor. the tactics used by SEAL Team Delivery is to saturate an area with firepower. against a force that is properly covered and concealed you can take that incoming and still deliver a punch. offensive operations from a small boat against a prepared enemy is a fools errand. additionally have you noticed that they are always reacting to ambush scenarios? i just don't think they could stand up to a dug in Marine Infantry Company defending some shoreline.
DeleteSpeaking as a 19K, Armor is most definitely a good and needed thing. Don't forget to add a Trophy APS (or similar system) in addition to the armor.
ReplyDeleteAs far as dug in troops, between the Hellfire, 30mm M230 and 40mm Bofers up front (did I leave that out? ), dug in should not be an issue. Don't forget that both the 30mm and 40mm cannons have airburst rounds.
Since the Hellfires require a laser designator anyways, how about LG 81mm or 120mm mortars?
Better yet, save space and increase capability by swapping out the 40mm Bofers for an AMOS (or similar) turret.
Deleteyeah but you have to find and fix on me and i'm initiating the ambush. if i'm in range so are you and the first thing i'm firing is Javelins along with every single LAW rocket i have. if experience is a guide then i have about 5 to 10 seconds before you respond. if i do my job right your boat is sinking before you get a shot off. your only hope is that i have mercy and you have life jackets.
DeleteThe Army employed a mix in Vietnam. Yes a lot of work was done by the types you are highlighting but smaller, unarmored PBRs took a lot of the load too. They got up to 250 of them at peak. Horses for courses.
ReplyDeleteyeah but even the PBR's were bigger than the boats Riverines operate today.
DeleteDon't get me wrong, I'm talking about using full-up armored juggernauts (Smoke discharges, Composite & Slat armor, and APS) like we had in Vietnam, not the fast boats we have today.
ReplyDeleteIf designed right, it would tank many holes below the water line to sink it.
ooooh! ok. that makes ALOT more sense. i thought you were talking about the way Riverines today operate and just adding a few more systems to their boats. if you're talking about Vietnam era monitor types then heck yeah. i wouldn't start one unless i had regiment on the horn ready to lay down fires.
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