Korean war may break out at any moment

[The Village Idiot]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1060901/1/.html

excerpted

GENEVA - A North Korean diplomat said Thursday that tensions on the Korean peninsula were running so high over the sinking of a South Korean warship that "war may break out at any moment."

In a speech to the international Conference on Disarmament, Ri Jang-Gon, deputy permanent representative for North Korea at the United Nations in Geneva, blamed the "grave situation" on South Korea and the United States.

"The present situation of the Korean peninsula is so grave that a war may break out at any moment," he said.

International investigators on May 20 announced their findings that a North Korean submarine had fired a heavy torpedo to sink the warship, in what has been described as the most serious act of aggression from the North since the Korean war 60 years ago.

Forty-six South Korean crew died when the warship sank near the disputed Yellow Sea border with the North in March in mysterious circumstances after a reported explosion.

South Korea has announced a series of reprisals including cutting off trade with its communist neighbour.

The North has denied involvement, and responded to the South's reprisals with threats of war.


excerpted

[DumbAss Tanker]

According to CNN, however, the Navy has apparently decided not to send a carrier to Korean waters, so it appears the DOD/CIA analysis must be on the side that this Nork diplomat is just blustering.

[The Village Idiot]

According to CNN, however, the Navy has apparently decided not to send a carrier to Korean waters, so it appears the DOD/CIA analysis must be on the side that this Nork diplomat is just blustering.

or they said "Gee whiz, we don't want to provoke the poor things"

[NHSparky]

Good thing, too.  Carriers are deep-water ships that need room to maneuver, and there ain't lots of room to maneuver anywhere close to the Korean coastline.  In fact, there's almost noplace in the Yellow Sea that's deeper than 100 fathoms, and one has to go well into the Sea of Japan to find deep enough water for a CVBG to navigate around.

[BlueStateSaint]

Good thing, too.  Carriers are deep-water ships that need room to maneuver, and there ain't lots of room to maneuver anywhere close to the Korean coastline.  In fact, there's almost noplace in the Yellow Sea that's deeper than 100 fathoms, and one has to go well into the Sea of Japan to find deep enough water for a CVBG to navigate around.

And those shallow depths play Hell on sonar for the SSNs, so . . . How good are the Japanese subs?

[The Village Idiot]

And those shallow depths play Hell on sonar for the SSNs, so . . . How good are the Japanese subs?

Small subs on battery power must be hard to find

[Doc]

^ There are some Russian Kilos around (I think I read that Iran bought a couple), and they were building a "Lada" series of diesel coastal defense boat a few years ago, I heard.....all, of course, for resale to anyone with the cash.  The Norks could be using either in relatively shallow water.

doc

[The Village Idiot]

^ There are some Russian Kilos around (I think I read that Iran bought a couple), and they were building a "Lada" series of diesel coastal defense boat a few years ago

Using Google Earth people have been able to find their sub bases and stuff

[NHSparky]

And those shallow depths play Hell on sonar for the SSNs, so . . . How good are the Japanese subs?

Good, but no more capable than a 688.  And diesel boats have to snorkel sometime.