RN do good job

[Mr C Hinecap]

Now this is good press - can we get some please?....

£200m drug bust on high seas
By Matt Barnwell
(Filed: 01/11/2005)

Royal Navy snipers shot out the engines of a speedboat carrying £200 million worth of cocaine during a drugs bust in the Caribbean, it was disclosed last night.

The operation to intercept and arrest the drug trafficking gang was led by the Type 22 frigate Cumberland and a Lynx helicopter from her support vessel, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Wave Knight.

They intercepted the speedboat as it raced across the ocean 100 miles off Nicaragua. The four-strong gang tried to outrun the helicopter but they were forced to surrender after specialist snipers in the Lynx fired bullets to disable the speedboat's engines.

A team from Cumberland boarded the speedboat, arrested the crew and seized two tons of cocaine with a street value of £200 million.

The operation, supported by the United States Coastguard, took place late on Friday. Capt Simon Ancona, Cumberland's commanding officer, said: "Operations like these send a strong message that governments, agencies and armed forces worldwide will work together in a determined effort to counter drug running. The ship's prompt reactions allowed the appropriate action to take place with minimal force."

John Reid, the Defence Secretary, said the operation had dealt a "sledgehammer" blow to the traffickers.

Cumberland, based in Plymouth, is on a four-month deployment in the Caribbean to provide disaster relief and conduct anti-drugs smuggling patrols.

[Data-Lynx]

In the TV versions, note the holes in the engines. So that's a go-fast with four big outboards doing 40-50+ knots in sea state 2/3 startled by a passive approach and snipers firing from the back of a Lynx. Great stuff and proud to be British.

[Gainesy]

"Royal Navy snipers"?

Shouldn't that be Royal Marine snipers? Good job, whoever.

[Cambridge Crash]

Apart from temporarily forcing up the prices for users of Coacaine, I suppose a yield of £200M is a nice little boost to the in-year cash allocation for the Fleet...

[Akrotiri bad boy]

Unfortunately, in order to realise the £200M the RN would have to engage in selling the damn stuff on the streets:hmm:

[Green Flash]

First of all - damn good shooting, Navy! Well done.

Secondly, I am intrigued. What was the 'sniper' weapon? L85/LSW? AI rifle? GPMG?! or something a little more ahem naughty - like a 50 cal or a Barrett?? Just wondering. Either way, well done Cumberland/Wave Rider/Lynx.

[southside]

Well done guys, great shooting (http://world.guns.ru/sniper/sn25-e.htm)

Shouldn't that be Royal Marine snipers without being picky, I think you'll find that the Royal Marines are in fact part of the Royal Navy. However, good work booties.

[GeeRam]

Well done to the Navy indeed.

I love the description of them trying to outrun a Lynx..:D

Secondly, I am intrigued. What was the 'sniper' weapon? L85/LSW? AI rifle? GPMG?! or something a little more ahem naughty - like a 50 cal or a Barrett?? Just wondering.

Judging by the smallish holes in the outboards shown on the TV clip, I'd guess the first of your guesses the most likely.

A .50 cal would have likely done a little bit more damage
;)

[Taffer]

The rifle used was most probably a .50 calibre Accuracy International AW50 - there's a picture of a marine with one in the latest Navy News - it's mahoosive! Failing that, the next most likely culprit would be the 0.338 LRLCR.

On the subject of mahoosive things, today's Page 3 stunner in The Sun congratulated the boys of HMS Cumberland on a job well done.

Don't ask me how my eyes actually made it down to the caption at the bottom of the page...................

[ORAC]

Good publicity - but a complete and utter waste of time and taxpayers money.

Tis but a drop in the ocean, so to speak. About as much chance of making a difference as the FBI had against prohibition. Better to legalise, tax and control it than waste money trying to stop it. :*

[Mad_Mark]

Typical press twisting of the probable facts :rolleyes:

Since when did the RN have ROE's that allowed THEM to open fire on civilians, or their vehicles, in international waters in peacetime? However, the mention of the joint op with the USCG does point to other people having ROE's that would enable such an act ;)

I liked the bit on the TV news earlier that said the ships just 'happened to be in the area' to provide medical aid to the hurricane victims :p

MadMark!!! :mad:

[Epsilon minus]

I wonder if the RN will be allowed to keep the money to pay for re-fits for:
Devil worshiping dedicated cabins fleet wide.
1 JSF
Bit of the keel for the next carrier?

Well done chaps. How the hell do you put a bullet through the engine of boat bobbing in a swell anyway?

[Widger]

Why is it a waste of taxpayers money? The ship and crew are out there anyway, why not have them doing something useful? They are not just conducting Drugs busting runs but also ready to provide disaster assistance (hurricane season coming to a close), Defence Diplomacy and maintaining the OC of the crew with skills that are equally as valid in the fight against terrorism as they are in the fight against the supply of drugs.

Are you more upset that your personal stash has been intercepted?

One of the major reasons we have Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen in Afghanistan is to stop the flow of Heroin, so no difference here.

[ORAC]

One of the major reasons we have Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen in Afghanistan is to stop the flow of Heroin

Borrocks, the Taleban had a total crackdown on drugs. Poppy farming has exploded ever since the invasion and little, if anything, is being done to stop it.

[airborne_artist]

Poppy farming has exploded ever since the invasion and little, if anything, is being done to stop it

There are some programmes, such as irrigation, that are being introduced (and part-financed by HMG) that will enable existing poppy farmers to migrate to cultivation of cash crops such as fruit and vegetables.

The occupying forces don't have the manpower to stop poppy farming, and if they did, they would lose any remining support from the warlords and the local inhabitants.

[Green Flash]

Taffer

I see what you mean with the AW50 - that is a semi-automatic blunderbuss, isn't it? Blimey, gauranteed to ruin your whole day. A frigate on your stern, two floating armouries circling round and a helo with a bl££din' great shooter stuck out of the door - you are going to get your hands in the air fairly smartly, aren't you?!

[Widger]

Whilst I do not dispute that the Taliban did much to stop the growing of the Opium Poppy, One of the main roles of NATo within Afghanistan is:

Fighting drug trafficking in Afghanistan



Three and a half years after the fall of the Taleban in Afghanistan the British team, which has trained Afghans to search out drug traffickers, is setting up more units.



British troops based in the north of Afghanistan report opium poppy fields they see in the country which puts 95% of the heroin onto the UK's streets.

But it's an uphill struggle against drugs. President Hamid Karzai has described international efforts to stop the production of opium in his country half-hearted and ineffective.

[southside]

Since when did the RN have ROE's that allowed THEM to open fire on civilians, or their vehicles, in international waters in peacetime
For about the last ten years actually. Certainly, the last time I was in the Carib , we had the ROE.

[.

[ORAC]

NATO ISAF Roles: (http://www.afnorth.nato.int/ISAF/index.htm):

* Ensure a safe and secure environment

* Reconstitute Afghan authorities

* Improve capability of Afghan police and armed forces

* Operate Kabul International Airport (KAIA) and maintain an Air Liaison Officers Cell (ALOC)

* Ensure force protection measures and improved situational awareness

The Opium Production Challenge in Afghanistan: (http://www.drug-policy.org/modules/events/london)
Current Responses and New Strategies, 20 July 2005, House of Commons, London.

[pr00ne]

Widger,

I suggest that the fact that heroin has never been more widely available on our streets, has never been cheaper and is now being actively sold to kids as young as 9 suggests that what ever we do in Afghanistan is entirely ineffectual.

For every high profile drugs bust we read about in the papers there are literally thousands that get through totally undetected. The RN might as well p*ss in the ocean for all the difference they are making.

Afraid I’m with ORAC on this, we will NEVER, beat or even come close to beating, the illegal drugs trade as long as it remains so profitable and there is such high demand. You can’t treat it as a war, legalise tax and control is the ONLY way we will ever get a handle on this menace.

[FJJP]

I have heard that proposal elsewhere recently - it would be a first class solution. Establishing a framework whereby the opium farmers sell their crops [for a better price] to legitimate bodies would produce massive benefits all round; more especially, it would provide the pharmaceutical industry with the raw materials to provide more drugs for pain relief, for which I believe there is a world-wide shortage.

[Spanish Waltzer]

I believe Mad Mark has hit the mark.

The USCG have a specialist sniper unit that trains to perform exactly what happened here. To take out the engine of a fast mover from a helicopter. Despite what you see in the movies such action is incredibly difficult and carries risks not only to the occupants of the boat but also the aircraft.

Whilst it is possible the RN have copied such a technique, the training and maintenance of such a skill is expensive and I would doubt that the crew of a RN ship be it a bootie or matelot that is only on station for a matter of months have the resources or backing to develop it.

These days it is common if not normal for the West Indies Guard ship or whatever name we now call it to carry onboard a detachment from the USCG so that in the event of such finds they can be dealt with by american authorities from the off. It would therefore be likely that part of that detachment would include an element from their sniper unit.

That being said, a vital part of a successful snipe is the correct positioning of the aircraft to give the man with the gun the best possible chance. For that the RN aircrew should be congratulated. Overall it was a job well done and congrats to all involved, from whatever service or country they originate.:ok:

[southside]

Whilst it is possible the RN have copied such a technique, the training and maintenance of such a skill is expensive and I would doubt that the crew of a RN ship be it a bootie or matelot that is only on station for a matter of months have the resources or backing to develop it

Yes we do have the resources and the training. This operation was conducted entirely by RN/RM personnel. The Lynx fleet have been training hard for this kind of operation for some time and they should be congratulated on a job well done.

As for the comment from Pr00ne

The RN might as well p*ss in the ocean ...hmmm, I think you'll find that they do. How else would they "go"? Tow a portaloo behind them?

[pr00ne]

southside,

LoL!!!

Didn't think of that, never could understand this life on the ocean wave lark..................................

[petefreak]

About time the lads on the back end of the Cumberland actually finding something to report.

All those months wasted of Ships on 'patrol' in WIGS conducting dawn and dusk sorties.It does pay off once and while!!

Money, Ships and Aircraft could be better used elsewhere...

[southside]

All those months wasted of Ships on 'patrol' in WIGS

You clearly don't understand what the RN does. That is our job. Its called Defence Diplomacy and is a military task as part of our standing commitment. The WIGS (old name) spends a substantial proportion of its time on-station involved in Drugs interdiction, Anti-Piracy, counter-insurgenct Ops as well as protecting the interests of dependant territories and complementing our allies in the area. Thats what we do, thats what the public pay for, thats our job.

You could argue that spending months and months in the NAG going around in circles is wasted but again, thats our job. We like it, its fun, it pays well and were bloody good at it.

[WE Branch Fanatic]

And soon being abandoned due to cuts in frigate/destroyer numbers....:(

Also easy to forget the RAF are often involved in these sort of tasks too.

[petefreak]

Sat down for 14 hrs a day at an alert state isn't my idea at fun, very boring and not very fulfilling, that's way people leave

[southside]

14 Hours a day????

last time I looked there were 24 Hours in a day. Those guys are at an alert state 24 hrs a day.

[petefreak]

unfortunately you can maintain 12 hrs at alert 15 with one crew, that was my example and vast experience

Know your facts dear boy

[southside]

Your correct. And the remaining 12 hours are at AL 45. Still at an Alert state, still airborne in 45 Mins.

[Data-Lynx]

Thinking long and hard before pressing the Submit Reply button, I must agree with southside. Alert 45 was the routine at sea for the Lynx, eased only for maintenance, and you just got on with it. The Atlantic Patrol Ship offered rare opportunities for dark blue to try flying over jungle, swamp, never-ending beach and play with the US Coastguard. Just single ship operations and not a CAOC in sight! Runs ashore in New Orleans or in the islands were outstanding and certainly unsuitable for such an open forum. Wonderful wonderful times.

[southside]

Totally concur. The last WIGS trip I did averaged 55 superb flying hours per month plus 19 Cocktail parties in 4 months and the chance to chase the odd drug runner - Awesome.

[petefreak]

""""The last WIGS trip I did averaged 55 superb flying hours per month plus 19 Cocktail parties in 4 months""""

Yes those Cocktail parties were great, working the first day you get in to port preparing the Hangar awning and assisting with the FX awning ready for the officers. Great days.

The days on patrol are very boring, brief at 5am and finish about 9pm, all for 4 hrs of flying, waste of time

Oh and cleaning the hangar after the cock and ass is great fun.Thank you inconsiderate officers and cling on's

[southside]

Hmmmmm.. - Methinks pete should have tried harder at School perhaps ????

[The Helpful Stacker]

Great way to lead men there southside, belittle them.

Unbelievable there are a lot of OR's who tried very hard at school and some that may even have tried harder than you and achieved the results to match but decided to do something different.

Sir Richard Branston and Pete Wardman would probably be considered stupid by your logic as they both performed poorly at school but look at them now.

Tw:mad: t

[Safety_Helmut]

I think we can all imagine how hard you must have tried at school southside.

You must have made fagging an art form !