Another day, another threat of all-out war.

[FBM]

What's the range of a Mark 46 torpedo?

I could look it up, but that might draw unwanted attention from the web-police. I'm assuming one of those could be mounted on an ROV? or semi-sub?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

What's the range of a Mark 46 torpedo?

I could look it up, but that might draw unwanted attention from the web-police. I'm assuming one of those could be mounted on an ROV? or semi-sub?

The -46 is a wireguided torp, spooling out a few miles of wire behind it for control by the mother sub. An ROV wouldn't have to be that big as it doesn't have to chase the target. You can tootle up to a ship at a few knots and explode under it. Or so I've heard.

[FBM]

What's the range of a Mark 46 torpedo?

I could look it up, but that might draw unwanted attention from the web-police. I'm assuming one of those could be mounted on an ROV? or semi-sub?

The -46 is a wireguided torp, spooling out a few miles of wire behind it for control by the mother sub. An ROV wouldn't have to be that big as it doesn't have to chase the target. You can tootle up to a ship at a few knots and explode under it. Or so I've heard.

A few miles would do it. The range of an ROV can't be that much can it? Anyway, we're talking NKorea here. I seriously doubt they have that technology. It wasn't long ago that a couple of their Cold War-era subs went tits-up in the East Sea, full of commandos who popped a few grenades while still inside rather than be captured.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

A few miles would do it. The range of an ROV can't be that much can it? Anyway, we're talking NKorea here. I seriously doubt they have that technology. It wasn't long ago that a couple of their Cold War-era subs went tits-up in the East Sea, full of commandos who popped a few grenades while still inside rather than be captured.

If you supply the electricity from the mother ship you're only limited by the amount of wire, and you can spool from the ship instead of the ROV. And it's not high tech stuff, Leo could build one with the stuff in his shop in a few days. Or you could buy one from a Japanese supplier through a middle man.

[FBM]

A few miles would do it. The range of an ROV can't be that much can it? Anyway, we're talking NKorea here. I seriously doubt they have that technology. It wasn't long ago that a couple of their Cold War-era subs went tits-up in the East Sea, full of commandos who popped a few grenades while still inside rather than be captured.

If you supply the electricity from the mother ship you're only limited by the amount of wire, and you can spool from the ship instead of the ROV. And it's not high tech stuff, Leo could build one with the stuff in his shop in a few days. Or you could buy one from a Japanese supplier through a middle man.

Hang on a sec. Somebody's at the door....wait...what??..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

[Gawdzilla Sama]

A few miles would do it. The range of an ROV can't be that much can it? Anyway, we're talking NKorea here. I seriously doubt they have that technology. It wasn't long ago that a couple of their Cold War-era subs went tits-up in the East Sea, full of commandos who popped a few grenades while still inside rather than be captured.

If you supply the electricity from the mother ship you're only limited by the amount of wire, and you can spool from the ship instead of the ROV. And it's not high tech stuff, Leo could build one with the stuff in his shop in a few days. Or you could buy one from a Japanese supplier through a middle man.

Hang on a sec. Somebody's at the door....wait...what??..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

That worked.

[Coito ergo sum]

North Korea is fascinating:

Elections in North Korea are held every five years. At the national level, North Koreans elect a legislature, the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA). In addition to the Supreme People's Assembly, the people elect representatives to city, county, and provincial "people's assemblies".[1] Elections in North Korea are non-competitive, with a single unopposed candidate for each office selected beforehand by party organizations.[2]
North Korea is a de facto single party state as the Workers' Party of Korea holds virtually all power and is by far the most prominent. Two minor parties exist: the Chondoist Chongu Party and the Korean Social Democratic Party, but they are legally bound to accept the position of the Workers' Party. All candidates in the elections must be members of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland.[2] The Workers' Party of Korea dominates the Front and holds all but a few seats, and the other two parties are required to accept the leadership of the Workers' Party. Each party may nominate candidates, and the Democratic Front selects a single candidate for each office. This list of candidates is then presented to the voters, who register a yes or no vote in each race by secret ballot.[1] In this way, the voters do not themselves choose representatives, but ratify the candidates chosen by the unelected party organization. According to official reports, turnout is near 100%, and approval of the Democratic Front's candidates is unanimous or nearly so.[1]
Members of the Supreme People's Assembly are elected to five-year terms, and meet for SPA sessions up to ten days per year.[2] The Supreme People's Assembly elects a standing committee known as the Presidium, which exercises legislative functions when the Assembly is not in session. It also elects the Chairman of the National Defence Commission, the country's chief executive, and the Premier.

The latest election was held on March 8, 2009. The following day, North Korean media announced that Kim Jong-il was unanimously re-elected to parliament, though none of his sons were among the appointments.[3] The election committee also stated that 99.98% of all registered voters took part in voting, with 100% voting for their candidate in each district.[4] All seats were won by the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, under the control of the Worker's Part

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_North_Korea

[FBM]

This just in:

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/ ... id=2920728

South concludes North sunk Cheonan; North threatens war

A North Korean torpedo was responsible for sinking the South Korean Navy warship Cheonan in the western waters south of the inter-Korean maritime border, South Korea’s Defense Ministry announced today.

North Korea immediately challenged the report and threatened to go to war if the South retaliates or imposes sanctions. The North's highest power organ, the National Defense Commission, chaired by leader Kim Jong-il, also said it intends to send a verification team to South Korea to disprove the probe's findings.

Shortly before the North’s statement, the South’s Defense Ministry said a team of South Korean, American, Australian, Canadian and British intelligence authorities concluded that a small North Korean submarine was responsible for firing the torpedo at the patrol-combat corvette on March 26.

The underwater explosion, only 6 to 9 meters (20-30 feet) below the ship, caused a bubble jet whose shock waves tore the Cheonan in two and sent it to the bottom.

“A North Korean-manufactured torpedo that carried a 250-kologram [551-pound] warhead is confirmed to be responsible for the explosion,” the ministry said.

The decisive evidence was torpedo fragments collected from the sinking site. The propeller of the torpedo was recently recovered and a North Korean marking was on it, the ministry said. The marking read “1 Beon” using the Arabic numeral and the Korean letter that means number.

The recovered components were identical to the designs of a North Korean sonar-tracking torpedo depicted on an arms export catalog of the communist regime.

The experts also based their conclusion on analysis of evidence collected from the site of the sinking, the hull of the salvaged ship, postmortem
examinations of the dead sailors, seismic waves, simulation of underwater explosions and currents near the sinking site, the ministry said.

North Korea has denied involvement in the sinking as recently as this week, when its vice parliamentary speaker Yang Hyong Sop criticized Seoul for "unreasonably" linking Pyongyang to the sinking, according to Pyongyang's state radio station.

But “There is no other plausible explanation” than that the North was behind the disaster, the joint civilian and military investigation report said.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has vowed stern action against the culprits and discussed the matter by phone with President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

The top U.S. diplomat for Asia, Kurt Campbell, said yesterday that the "United States strongly supports [the report’s] conclusions." Campbell, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, said the findings meant the U.S. and its allies will be facing "a very serious set of circumstances in the coming days."

The U.S. response will be a central issue during Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's upcoming trip to Asia, Campbell said. Clinton leaves Washington today for talks in Japan, China and South Korea.

"The United States supports South Korea unequivocally and strongly," Campbell said, adding that Clinton would be consulting closely with China, Japan and South Korea on how to answer the attack.

Analysts predict the U.S. and South Korea will step up their anti-submarine activities while Seoul may on its own bar North Korean vessels from its waters. The South may also deliver a powerful economic blow by cutting of imports of North Korean commodities, particularly fish products, that would badly hurt the North's desperate economy.

But looming over the discussions is concern that a harsh reaction could escalate tensions to the point of clashes. There is also concern an aggressive response could trigger the collapse of what is arguably the world's most isolated and authoritarian regime, U.S. officials said.

The Pentagon and American intelligence agencies fear the situation could develop into one in which Kim Jong-il's government, already under heavy economic strain, loses control, the officials said, on condition of anonymity.

Material from the Associated Press and Reuters was used in this report.

By Ser Myo-ja, Staff Reporter [myoja@joongang.co.kr]

[Clinton Huxley]

Blimey, all a bit tense.....if a North Korean sub did sink the ship, you wonder what on Earth the motive was

[FBM]

Blimey, all a bit tense.....if a North Korean sub did sink the ship, you wonder what on Earth the motive was

The previous S.K. prez went to Pyongyang and made an agreement to share those fishing waters off the west coast. Then the current prez, a conservative, came into office and said he wouldn't honor it. There are annual naval skirmishes in the area, as the North doesn't respect the "Northern Limit Line", which was drawn up unilaterally by the US/UN. In one of the most recent skirmishes, the S. Korean navy sank one of the North's ships and sent the other one back home badly damaged. A big embarrassment for the North. Some people think this incident was revenge for any one or all of those things.

[Clinton Huxley]

Ah, the UK had a similar unpleasantness with Iceland in the 70s, the cod war. Of course, Iceland didn't have a million strong army, or ballistic missiles....

[JimC]

Ah, the UK had a similar unpleasantness with Iceland in the 70s, the cod war. Of course, Iceland didn't have a million strong army, or ballistic missiles....

But they have a volcano, which has taken belated revenge!

Getting back OT, it will be interesting to see the South Korean response...

Too little, and they are seen as push-overs...

Too much, and the Korean war resumes...

Show 'em your cap badges, Glosters!

[Clinton Huxley]

It would be terrible if the Korean War resumed but at least we'd get a new series of MASH.

[JimC]

It would be terrible if the Korean War resumed but at least we'd get a new series of MASH.

And can we have charges up and down Porkchop hill?

And strange American generals trying to win the presidency?

And a Commonwealth brigade where Aussie troopers get to swear at stuck-up British officers?

[Clinton Huxley]

It would be terrible if the Korean War resumed but at least we'd get a new series of MASH.

And can we have charges up and down Porkchop hill?

And strange American generals trying to win the presidency?

And a Commonwealth brigade where Aussie troopers get to swear at stuck-up British officers?

We can have all of those things! Lord, the 17th might get called up!