The Iranian Kilo Incident Sounds Like a Song

In early November the Daily Mail ran a story about a Chinese Song class submarine surfacing near the Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group. It caused a bit of a stir, even hit the Drudge Report for a few hours, only to be highlighted as the same story told in November... of 2006.

The surfacing of the Song class submarine so close to the US Navy was a major media event, so good in fact it was able to earn press regarding the power of the Chinese navy (in the eyes of the media anyway) for two Novembers in a row.

When observing the Iranians, they are very proud of their weapons, which is why we get silly pictures of divers standing on a submarine delivery vehicle riding down a parade route on the back of a truck in 100 degree summer heat. Those poor guys. The problem for Iran is they can't get any one to take the quality of their weapons seriously. The Shkval and the Sunburn, the two weapons supposedly the most capable in the Iranian arsenal, are vintage 1970s designs.

When the Lede reported the details of the latest incident involving the Iranian Kilo surfacing incident last week, it sounds to me like Iran was looking to get some media attention.

Not many weeks back, an Iranian Kilo-class submarine surfaced within one-half mile of the Vicksburg, the closest encounter of any kind anyone on board could recall with a foreign, potentially hostile hunter-killer submarine in the Persian Gulf.

Sounds spooky! Finally, the Iranian public relations department has found a way to make up for their proud leaders "GAY"-dir comments. OK, so maybe not, as the Lede goes on...

The Iranian submarine had been spotted leaving its home port, tracked through Iranian territorial seas and followed as it crossed into international waters. So its presence was not a surprise, according to officers and crew members on board that day. The submarine took no hostile action, they said, and the Iranian sailors behaved in a wholly professional manner. Even so, the decision to sail and surface so close to the Vicksburg remains a complete mystery — like much Iranian behavior remains to Americans.

Iranian sailors climbed atop the submarine’s tower-like sail. Vicksburg sailors came to the rails. The Iranians pulled out binoculars. So did the Americans. Iranian officers could be seen speaking into radios. Vicksburg officers were in touch with Fifth Fleet headquarters. Digital cameras on both sides captured the moment.

The key to a surprise is to make sure the other guy doesn't know your coming. The Navy, and in this case the New York Times, is sending a signal to Iran: We See Your Submarines. Why would we tip Iran that we can see their submarines? I honestly don't know, but it is starting to sound to me like SECDEF Gates and Admiral Fallon are getting tired of the Iranian propaganda and constant attempts to stir up trouble with their propaganda in the region.

We don't believe Iran has any intention to listen to Gates and Fallon, it could be that Iran seriously believes their weapons are as amazing as their own propaganda advertises. You know, like when Iran claims they will sink the US Navy with their incredible, unstoppable, stealthy and superior flying boat.

The Lede and every other news source quotes Navy officers on the Vicksburg who question the motive of the Iranians. To me it seems pretty clear, they were hoping to get the same level of excitement from the US over this incident that the Chinese got for the Song class submarine. Maybe they can salvage the situation and email the photo's of the Vicksburg to DEBKA, that way someone will write a panic piece while the rest of us roll our eyes.