- The US Navy has been battling anti-ship ballistic missiles, weapons used in combat for the first time only recently.
- Business Insider recently visited a destroyer that has shot down some of the Houthis’ missiles.
- Navy commanders say that American forces are gaining valuable intelligence from these engagements
US warships are shooting down weapons, American naval vessels stationed near Yemen’s shores are encountering a new and formidable adversary: Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles, a weaponry challenge unprecedented in modern military history.
The emergence of these missiles poses a significant concern for potential future conflicts, particularly those involving China in the Western Pacific. However, U.S. military personnel are leveraging their experiences from recent engagements in the Middle East, extracting crucial insights from these encounters, according to Navy officials.
In discussions with Business Insider during a recent visit to the Red Sea, a commander of a carrier strike group highlighted the significance of these developments. “It’s the first time a ballistic missile has been targeted at a warship or maritime traffic adjacent to a warship,” the commander remarked. “And that has provided us with invaluable intelligence.”
The Houthi insurgents began employing anti-ship ballistic missiles, alongside anti-ship cruise missiles and one-way attack drones, toward the conclusion of last year. This marks a historic milestone, as acknowledged by U.S. President Joe Biden, who emphasized the unprecedented use of such weaponry.
Backed by Iran, the Houthi rebels have launched numerous anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen towards key international shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with reports of some striking commercial vessels. This development has significantly complicated the maritime threat landscape.
These repeated provocations have drawn in the Navy and forced it to respond. Over the past two months, US warships operating in the region have shot down a handful of anti-ship ballistic missiles — most recently in early February. The US has also conducted preemptive strikes targeting these missiles in Yemen before they are launched.
Business Insider recently visited the USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer of the Arleigh Burke-class stationed in the Red Sea. This vessel has been actively involved in intercepting numerous Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles.
Cmdr. Brian Sanchez, the commanding officer of the ship, commended his sailors for their resilience in the face of these challenges. He emphasized that their extensive training spanning months had prepared them well for such encounters.
Speaking to Business Insider, Cmdr. Sanchez remarked, “Now that we’re out here, this is what we’ve trained to do. We may be encountering it firsthand, but it’s not unfamiliar territory, thanks to our rigorous training routines.”
Sanchez said that the data his warship collects is sent back to the US, where the performance of weapons systems is analyzed for any technical and tactical improvements or adjustments. He credited his sailors for being able to respond to these engagements the way that they were trained to do.
“The sailors have been handling situations exactly as we’ve trained them to, swiftly getting back to their duties and ensuring the ship remains prepared for any further engagements,” remarked the commanding officer regarding his crew’s performance.
The Gravely operates as part of the Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 2, alongside the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, four destroyers, and a cruiser. Rear Adm.
Marc Miguez, the commander of the carrier strike group, mentioned receiving positive feedback based on data sent back to the US. He noted that the ship’s weapons systems are operating precisely as intended.
“We’ve integrated some new capabilities over the past couple of years, and they’ve proven invaluable in countering the ballistic missile threat,” he explained to Business Insider during a recent visit to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The Houthi rebels boast a rather sizable arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles, some of which are Iranian in origin, while others just contain parts from Tehran, according to an analysis published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank in early January.
US Central Command, or CENTCOM, called attention to the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles but has not specifically identified which missiles have been used in any of the attacks.
Before the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping routes with anti-ship ballistic missiles, these weapons had already become a significant worry for the US military, especially as it monitored China’s expanding arsenal and increasing tensions in the Pacific region.
In the event of potential conflict between Washington and Beijing down the line, the seas would likely serve as a crucial theater of war. This underscores the significance of both anti-ship ballistic missile capabilities and the defensive measures aimed at countering them.
Experts suggest that the anti-ship ballistic missiles possessed by the Houthis fall short in comparison to China’s more sophisticated arsenal, especially in terms of guidance technology, which China has been significantly advancing.
Beijing’s substantial investments in its Rocket Force include the construction of replicas of American naval vessels, believed to serve as targets for practice. Additionally, China’s array of sensors, such as radars and satellites, enables precise missile direction.
Although disparities exist between the threat landscapes and capabilities in the Middle East and the Western Pacific, any anti-ship ballistic missile poses a severe threat, capable of inflicting catastrophic damage.
Both current and former military officials concur that the Navy’s regular encounters with the Houthis provide invaluable experience and a degree of assurance.
Commander Miguez of Carrier Strike Group 2 remarked, “While being targeted is never ideal, it offered a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of the systems we’ve deployed and trained with.”