Force Protection failure in Greece: RCN ship vandalized

https://twitter.com/x/status/1505298830379601926

NST had provided security the last time an HMC ship was in that port. Apparently no measures in place this time around.

Facebook comment from a former NST NCO:

''Lots of silly comments from people who think they know all about Force Protection. First, when we stood up NST in the exact same port we had two check points and a guarded gate with spike strips and Greek police manning those gates. Second, you would never open fire on people especially if the threat triangle isn't complete. Not sure how they got so close to the ship with the normal security measures in place, but it happened and it was only paint. However, this is exactly why you secure the jetty prior to a ship coming alongside using CAF and local authorities. De-escalate as best as possible and then use non-lethal force such as your fire hoses rigged on the upper decks.......trust me, they will stop someone

.....ask ST....lol.''

Some context from a more friendly Greek:

''Alright... As a Greek-Canadian (served both in the Greek and Canadian army) I would like to apologize. Those guys are fuckin morons and stupid as fuck!
In 1932 Russia would give huge amounts of money(in other words fund) KKE(those fucking cunts who thru the paint), So one day they would "rule" Greece. The Greek army didn't let that happen and thru a lot of them in the jail.. So since then they can't stand the sight of any military uniform. Whenever they see anything that has to do with military they throw paint cans.
Sorry for my bad English!''

 

[PuckChaser]

So, hum, the consensus seems to be that paras are going the way of the battleship so... take the airborne companies and make them naval infantry?

Only when you do daylight mass drops at a stupid altitude with no SEAD...

 

[daftandbarmy]

So, hum, the consensus seems to be that paras are going the way of the battleship so... take the airborne companies and make them naval infantry?

That's all been done before, of course....

2 PARA move by landing craft from Fitzroy to Bluff Cove. | ParaData

www.paradata.org.uk

 

[RangerRay]

Lol. Brings me back in time to my BMQ... where everyone had suddenly become a devout Christian on the second Sunday...

When the choice is hanging out at the shacks with the MCpl doing tasks or kicking back and listening to the Padre…

 

[Furniture]

When the choice is hanging out at the shacks with the MCpl doing tasks or kicking back and listening to the Padre…

When I went through BMQ the Padres only really got upset if you snored too loud...

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

It's simple. We don't have enough bunks aboard to have a dedicated security team aboard, that's why security is a secondary duty. We spend the majority of our time at sea, so if you're aboard, you need to be contributing to all the many things that needs to be accomplished at sea. We can't have people literally doing nothing but PT and cleaning their rifles between port visits. That's where the concept of NST came from. A dedicated security component that doesn't take up bunk space (plus it gives the crew more time off, and it gives reservists something to do).

So like the entire right side of the Ops Room for half my last deployment.

There is ample room to embark NTOG should the need be required. Having them on board is great, they'll pull all the UWFP, Alongside FP and they will also act as CCT and do stuff like slipping party.

They were tremendously helpful during my last deployment. Certainly more helpful than some of the Operators that would sleep through Pipes and be woken up in their racks with chocolate bar wrappers all over themselves

NTOGs job is to be fit, keep fresh and up to date on their primary tasks, which is being proficient with small arms, TCCC, etc.

The Navy has no idea how to think outside the box and employ people to their full potential.

 

[Good2Golf]

The Navy has no idea how to think outside the box and employ people to their full potential.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

View attachment 69580

I got triggered the past few days LOL

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I got triggered the past few days LOL

You don’t say…

 

[Good2Golf]

I got triggered the past few days LOL

Yup, brother, there’s a time when it’s best to move on to look after self and family, if the machine is just going to chew you up and spit you out anyway.

 

[Lumber]

So like the entire right side of the Ops Room for half my last deployment.

There is ample room to embark NTOG should the need be required. Having them on board is great, they'll pull all the UWFP, Alongside FP and they will also act as CCT and do stuff like slipping party.

They were tremendously helpful during my last deployment. Certainly more helpful than some of the Operators that would sleep through Pipes and be woken up in their racks with chocolate bar wrappers all over themselves

NTOGs job is to be fit, keep fresh and up to date on their primary tasks, which is being proficient with small arms, TCCC, etc.

The Navy has no idea how to think outside the box and employ people to their full potential.

That's the difference between an ARTEMIS deployment and a REASSURANCE deployment.

I can assure that the right side of my ops room was very busy during the later, and an NTOG team would have been utterly useless except as a dedicated FP component.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

That's the difference between an ARTEMIS deployment and a REASSURANCE deployment.

I can assure that the right side of my ops room was very busy during the later, and an NTOG team would have been utterly useless except as a dedicated FP component.

My point wasn't to emphasize that the right side never did anything. My point was to emphasize that different components are needed at different times.

Another solution would be to bring a reduced team (this is what the French do) or use the Ship's Integral Boarding Party.

The French bring on a handful of Naval Infantry and they are responsible for leading the security team and training the sailors in weapons handling, advising the Commander, etc.

 

[Jarnhamar]

What does the right side of an ops room do on a ship?

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

What does the right side of an ops room do on a ship?

Underwater Warfare

 

[dimsum]

The French bring on a handful of Naval Infantry and they are responsible for leading the security team and training the sailors in weapons handling, advising the Commander, etc.

So...these guys (and gals).

 

[dimsum]

My point wasn't to emphasize that the right side never did anything. My point was to emphasize that different components are needed at different times.

Here's an off-the-wall idea:

If, for example, the ship is going on an ARTEMIS, bring a skeleton Underwater Warfare (and whatever they don't usually do) and leave the rest at home, but on a 24hr NTM or something. Use those spots for NTOG or elements thereof.

If the ship transitions to something like REASSURANCE, fly in the rest of the required crew, fly out the NTOG folks (or whoever they don't need).



Or an even more off-the-wall idea:

Have those departments not be part of a specific ship. Call it MARPAC and MARLANT Underwater Warfare Teams or whatever, and deploy a crew of them to whatever ship is going out to REASSURANCE, like what MH does.



These options assume that airlift is readily available to get those teams to the ship promptly when needed, of course.

 

[KevinB]

The fact that the Navy doesn’t think a Security Group would be needed going into/near a war zone is a little worrisome to me.

@Lumber did you miss the change in situation?

 

[Halifax Tar]

Some young Canadian made a split second decision to not engage those protesters and escalate this into a bigger problem.

Imagine, Canadian sailor kills Greek protesters for throwing paint.

The real question is how did the get past the local security and get access to the jetty ?

 

[Lumber]

The fact that the Navy doesn’t think a Security Group would be needed going into/near a war zone is a little worrisome to me.

@Lumber did you miss the change in situation?

I didn't say the navy didn't need a security team, I said they didn't have room aboard for a dedicated security team. We have a very large and robust "security team" whenever we go in and out of port, and the alongside component cna be scaled to meet the threat, all by using the ship's company. Also, we have traditionally not needed a dedicated boarding team (I e. NTOG) for Op REASSURANCE, because there's almost no one with ships in that area for which we would ever get the ROE needed to board.

 

[brihard]

So what led to there not being an NST? Who makes that call?

 

[KevinB]

I didn't say the navy didn't need a security team, I said they didn't have room aboard for a dedicated security team. We have a very large and robust "security team" whenever we go in and out of port, and the alongside component cna be scaled to meet the threat, all by using the ship's company. Also, we have traditionally not needed a dedicated boarding team (I e. NTOG) for Op REASSURANCE, because there's almost no one with ships in that area for which we would ever get the ROE needed to board.

My concern is that the situation drastically changed in the last 30 days - and it seems to me, like the RCN has more of less ignored that.
Agin my point is that Security needs to be a stand alone primary task - as a secondary duty on a warship means they most likely will be doing primary functions when being a warship...