The capture of two riverine boats and 10 Navy sailors by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in January triggered a “robust” search-and-rescue response from U.S. forces stationed in the region, including manned and unmanned aircraft and warships.
Two riverine command boats (RCB) strayed into Iranian territorial waters in January during a transit from Kuwait to Bahrain. They were overtaken and detained by Iranian forces when one of the boat’s engine failed. An investigation into the incident found that the ultimate cause of the incident was “leadership failures at multiple levels from the tactical to the operational,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson.
While the sailors were released the following day, after being fed and filmed apologizing for the intrusion, other forces in the region launched a multi-faceted search-and-rescue operation, Richardson said Thursday during a press conference at the Pentagon.
“A large search-and-rescue effort was launched by the Fifth Fleet commander, who ordered USS Anzio (CG-68) into the area of Farsi Island,” Richardson said. The Anzio is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser.
That vessel was joined by a Coast Guard cutter that was in the geographic area, as well as launches of both fighter and intelligence-gathering aircraft, he said. The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) aircraft carrier conducted an alert launch of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets “to provide overwatch” while “non-traditional” intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms also launched from the ship.
The combined air operations center for U.S. Central Command, located at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, also supported the operation with a launch of F-15s, Richardson said.
Had the RCBs been properly maintained while deployed, the incident might have been avoided, the report found. Poor maintenance oversight and a lack of available spare parts during the crafts’ extended deployment likely led to the engine “casualty” that led to the sailors’ capture.
“The Kuwait unit was not equipped to provide the maintenance required by [redacted] additional RCBs,” the report said. “Completion and tracking of preventive and corrective maintenance was a challenge due to the geographic separations of systems and personnel; the primary maintenance systems used by RCB personnel for tracking, scheduling and ordering parts were also not available.”
The review found the maintenance program was “ineffective” and spare parts were not shipped when requested. One of the RCBs had difficulty establishing secure communication with an operations center during the incident, but otherwise the boat’s electronic equipment was working properly. Throughout the transit, the crews and their commanders diverted from established procedure and the planned route by not communicating a course correction or unexpected land sightings, the report said.
“While it is not clear that any of these parts would have prevented the engine failure on 12 January, the delay in providing them is indicative of the lax responsiveness by a chain of command that did not grasp the challenges of long-term disaggregation, as well as the lack of supervisory…leadership and oversight of its dispersed forces.”
The investigation also found that during the unit’s extended deployment to the Persian Gulf, the overall material readiness within the squadron declined. Both boats were inspected during the turnover in August when the unit involved arrived in Kuwait and were found to be in good condition.
“In response to these findings, formalized requirements for material readiness programs have been implemented and no-notice inspections for all deployed units have also been implemented,” said Vice Adm. John Aqualino, deputy CNO for operations, plans and strategy.
Corrective actions to maintenance procedures are underway and those responsible for the incident are being disciplined under the Navy’s code of conduct.
Ultimately, the report vindicated the RCBs crews in that they “had every right to be where they were that day,” Richardson said. Though the sailors strayed from proper Navy procedure during their transit, they did adhere to international law throughout their voyage and during the encounter with the Iranians, he said.
“It was reasonable for Iran to investigate the unusual appearance of armed U.S. naval vessels within territorial waters so close to its shores,” the report says. “However, the [Iranian]’s obstruction, at gunpoint, of the RCB’s transit infringed upon their right of innocent passage under international law and was disproportionate under the circumstances. Iran’s boarding and seizure of the RCBs followed by the interrogation and video recording of the crew clearly violated established norms of sovereign immunity. The RCB crews, although not operating in accordance with established U.S. Navy procedures, did act consistently with international law.”