An AH-1Z Viper helicopter attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit takes off during a strait transit aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer. © Lance Cpl. Dalton Swanbeck
Sputnik: US Marines Strap Armored Vehicle to Assault Ship’s Flight Deck in Hormuz Strait (Photo)
When the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer transited the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, it had a light armored vehicle strapped to its flight deck. The novel innovation reflects the US Marine Corps’ lack of preparation to counter emerging surface threats.
The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) decided to strap one of its LAV-25 armored fighting vehicles to the flight deck of the USS Boxer earlier this week as the ship was preparing to enter the narrow Strait of Hormuz.
Evidence came in the form of a US Navy photo of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters lifting off from the Boxer’s flight deck, with the armored vehicle sitting in the background of the image.
Read more ....
WNU Editor:Strapping an armored vehicle on an assault ship's flight deck tells me that the Navy is not confident that their defensive systems will be able to stop an attack on the surface.
