A new class of American amphibious ship recently made its first transit through the Suez Canal. The USS San Antonio, part of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, transited the Suez on the 23rd of September and headed down the Red Sea towards the area where Somali pirates have seized more than a score of merchant ships this year.
Currently, US Fifth Fleet ships, including the USS Howard, are watching a pirate-seized merchant ship, the MV Faina. The Belize-flagged cargo ship is owned and operated by Kaalbye Shipping Ukraine and is carrying a cargo of 33 Ukrainian T-72 tanks and related equipment. The ship was attacked on Sept. 25 and forced to proceed to an anchorage off the Somali Coast. The pirates are demanding a $20 million ransom to release the ship and crew. There are some reports that demand has been reduced recently to $8 million. As many as 50 pirates are on board the MV Faina holding its crew hostage. One Russian crew member has died while in pirate control.
There maybe scores of pirates but there are about 1,900 US Marines abroad the USS Iwo Jima and several hundred more embarked on the USS San Antonio and they can be quickly transported by about two dozen helicopters.
The embarked Marines are the 2,200 man 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit has had combat tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan and its men are highly experienced.
The USS San Antonio (LPD 17) is a new class of amphibious transport dock ship. It carries four helicopters and a variety of tactical vehicles in its hull. It can also transport up to 800 Marines.
“As we enter the Fifth Fleet area of operations, we will conduct Maritime Security Operations, maritime infrastructure protection and will work to deter destabilizing activities in order to help create a lawful maritime order,” said Cmdr. Kurt Kastner, San Antonio’s commanding officer.
One of the challenges of the Suez transit was the narrow passage San Antonio had to navigate. “The path through the Suez is only 119 meters wide with water as deep as 14.8 meters,” said Lt. j. g. Kathleen Friel, San Antonio’s navigator. “Therefore, the turns made by the helmsman need to be precise when adjusting course.”
San Antonio is deployed as part of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group supporting maritime security operations (MSO) in the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet area of operations. MSO help develop security in the maritime environment. From security arises stability that results in global economic prosperity. MSO complements the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists' use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.
Also in the Iwo Jima group are the guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61), the amphibious transport dock ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) and the guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) seen here transiting through the Suez Canal.
Since the MV Faina was seized, six other ships have also been seized or attacked by Somali pirates. The international community is frustrated at the expense and danger to cargos transiting this important shipping corridor. The US is also concerned that the tanks and other weapons and ammunition not fall into the hands of the Islamists who are fighting the Somali central government. These groups reportedly are getting a cut of the pirate ransoms which they use to finance their rebellion. Last week the Somali government authorized foreign powers to take action against pirates inside Somali territorial waters if such actions were coordinated with them.
Anyone familiar with the USMC hymn knows that the Marines have a long history of fighting pirates on African shores. I suspect the 26th MEU is planning to add a new chapter to that history.
Photos courtesy the US Navy.
