Pyotr Veliky missile cruiser makes port call in Tartus, Syria. Sputnik Photo
Terrorists in Syria may use explosive-laden boats operated by suicide bombers or drones to attack Russian warships, the Russian state-run news agency TASS reported citing experts.
“Today, it is vitally important to be prepared for comprehensive threats as we cannot rule out suicide bombers’ using motorboats to attack Russian warships and auxiliary vessels calling at Tartus,” TASS quoted Igor Korotchenkov, editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine.
Korotchenkov recalled an incident in the Persian Gulf when suicide bombers used a explosive-laden motorboat to ram the US destroyer USS Cole. He added that “drone attacks on Russian diplomatic facilities” were not ruled out either and noted that it is necessary to reinforce “security systems with electronic warfare support devices” of the Russian embassy in Damascus.
TASS also refered another expert, editor-in-chief of the Arsenal Otechestva (Homeland Arsenal) magazine Viktor Murakhovsky.
“An unmanned boat is no problem either from the commercial or the engineering point of view. Any motorboat can be equipped with a control system, then be loaded with explosives and be driven into a target. Such a system can be mounted on a motorcar or aby other transport vehicle,” Murakhovsky said refering to the case when the Yemeni Houthis have used an unmanned boat against Saudi Arabia’s vessel. “Such explosive-stuffed boats can well be detected by optical and radio radars and destroyed by machinegun and automatic gun fire.”
During the night on January 6, militants used 13 armed unmanned aerial vehicles to attack Russia’s Khmeimim air base and Tartus naval logistics base. The attack was repelled by Russian forces. MORE DETAILS HERE
