Aussie F-111 bombs, sinks North Korean freighter

I'm not so sure F-111's were intended for anti-ship warfare, but good target practice none-the-less...

Excerpt from:
news.bbc.co.uk...

N Korean heroin ship sunk by jet

A North Korean cargo ship that was used to smuggle heroin into Australia has been sunk by an Australian fighter jet.
An F-111 aircraft bombed the Pong Su during target practice on Thursday at a secret location offshore, police said.

Australian troops seized the ship in 2003 after spotting it unloading part of a huge heroin shipment at a beach.

The Australian government said the bombing was a warning to North Korea to halt its involvement in drug smuggling - an allegation Pyongyang rejects.

"It is appropriate that we publicly demonstrate our outrage at what has happened by sinking this ship," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.

Following a request from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Navy and the Air Force have assisted in the disposal of the MV Pong Su under Section 185B of the Customs Act.

After Navy towed the Pong Su from Sydney Harbour, the vessel was sunk approximately 140 kilometres off Jervis Bay in deep water using two 2000-pound high explosive laser guided bombs as part of an exercise involving four RAAF F-111 strike aircraft.

A RAAF AP-3C Orion aircraft performed range clearance and safety roles to ensure that unauthorised vessels remained clear of the safety zone during the exercise, and also to ensure that the area was clear of significant marine life.

The activity provided the Air Force with significant training value for maritime strike operations. These types of opportunities are rare and allow Orion and F-111 aircrew to train against a realistic target.

The disposal of the vessel fully complied with Australian law and was conducted following detailed consideration of environmental and safety regulations.

www.minister.defence.gov.au...

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intersing... north korea is into drugs...

Originally posted by ulshadow
intersing... north korea is into drugs...

yah, they deal the stuff for some much needed hard currency.

what a waste of resource, one ship and one bomb. hopefully this won;t cause any environmental related isuue

Originally posted by darkhero
what a waste of resource, one ship and one bomb. hopefully this won;t cause any environmental related isuue

Hmm it was amilitary exercise. If you'd read the article you'd understand that, also the ship was thouroughly decontaimated of any substances before it was sunk.

Originally posted by ulshadow
intersing... north korea is into drugs...

I saw a documentary about N Korea "The secret state" I think it was called. They had N Korean farmers that said they are forced to grow drugs (heroin) by the goverment. Drugs are by far the largest cash crop anyone can grow.

But alot of people in N Korea are starving and these farmers said they had to allocate sections of thier best growing land to drugs. They ofcourse dont get this money it all goes straight to the goverment.

One down and don't really know how many to go. I knew I loved the Aussies for other reasons than giving the world Olivia Newton-John.


MOD EDIT: No need to post scary images. Besides, she was born in the UK, not Austrailia.

[edit on 3/26/2006 by cmdrkeenkid]

I wonder if this was done for the benefit of Condamedia Rice, as she was in the country at the time. Would have made for a speccy leaving gift.

If they've had the boat since '03, why did they decide to "send a message" now? I mean, it's good they got the smack of the streets, but really, why the dog and pony show?

Originally posted by fingapointa
If they've had the boat since '03, why did they decide to "send a message" now? I mean, it's good they got the smack of the streets, but really, why the dog and pony show?

Hmm ever heard of due process. Not everything is some convaluted conspiracy Also Condoleeza Rice was menat to be here months ago, but Sharon had his stroke so she had to cancel. It wasn't done for her benefit.

Originally posted by darkhero
what a waste of resource, one ship and one bomb. hopefully this won;t cause any environmental related isuue

Actually if they cleaned up all the oil etc out of the ship, it should make a nice reef.

The cost of refitting the ship probably exceeded the cost of a new one at anyrate

I have lived in Asia for four years, currently in South Korea and previously in Vietnam. Not only are the NOrks into drug smuggling they also make the best fake $US dollars in the business.

Check out the superdollar...en.wikipedia.org...

and let than that be a lesson to ya, punk!

Originally posted by deessell
they also make the best fake $US dollars in the business.

Check out the superdollar...en.wikipedia.org...

Thanks for bringing this up deessell I wasnt aware of this.

Im not shock though nations easily have the resources to produce near perfect fakes of other countries banknotes. Plus it says China announced that its own investigation had reached the same conclusion that N Korea was behind these super notes.

But watch out we got more colors in your bills now

Originally posted by fingapointa
I wonder if this was done for the benefit of Condamedia Rice, as she was in the country at the time. Would have made for a speccy leaving gift.

If they've had the boat since '03, why did they decide to "send a message" now? I mean, it's good they got the smack of the streets, but really, why the dog and pony show?

The Pong Su case had been dragging through the courts for years, although obviously the government wanted to make a political statement via the somewhat spectacular sinking of this state owned drug ship. I got to see her many times as after her capture she was moored next door to me here on Sydney Harbour, and was used to perform various odd jobs for the navy around the harbour.

She was caught while the North Korean political officer on board was radoing back details of the naval pursuit to the North Korean authorities, and she was in the process of dropping off $A600 million worth of heroin along the Australian coast.

Good to see the old F-111's fulfilling their role as a medium sized supersonic bomber designed to deliver tactical nukes or large conventional payloads. They're currently being fitted out with Tomahawk cruise missiles making them the most effective longe range bomber in the region.





[edit on 27-3-2006 by JamesinOz]

Originally posted by JamesinOz



Good to see the old F-111's fulfilling their role as a medium sized supersonic bomber designed to deliver tactical nukes or large conventional payloads. They're currently being fitted out with Tomahawk cruise missiles making them the most effective longe range bomber in the region.

[edit on 27-3-2006 by JamesinOz]

Whoah got a link for that JamesinOz? the f-111 's are getting tomahawks ?
how are the Australians funding that one ?

Actually if they cleaned up all the oil etc out of the ship, it should make a nice reef.

Yep that's what I was going to say. Not that australia needs another reef...but hey every little bit helps.

Nothing to do with nothing but how happy was the F-111 pilot at that briefing.

I'm not a pilot I've never actually been "allowed" to blow something up but I was a kid once and we did what all kids before video games did...build model cars then blow them up.

"What's my target? A whole freakin' freighter!? Don't toy with me! Are you messing with me?! Really? That korean cargo freighter? You're the best commanding officer ever!"

At this point professional or no I'm 99% positvie the pilot sprinted from the briefing room to his jet giggling like a school girl the entire time.

Spiderj

Originally posted by buckaroo

Originally posted by JamesinOz



Good to see the old F-111's fulfilling their role as a medium sized supersonic bomber designed to deliver tactical nukes or large conventional payloads. They're currently being fitted out with Tomahawk cruise missiles making them the most effective longe range bomber in the region.

[edit on 27-3-2006 by JamesinOz]

Whoah got a link for that JamesinOz? the f-111 's are getting tomahawks ?
how are the Australians funding that one ?

Apparently the govt has a bit of money to spend on these types of purchases, and from what I understand there are a number of weapons systems upgrades occurring across the ADF. The naval upgrages includes incorporating the same electronics systems used by the USN in most of the Aussie navy so that it can work hand in glove with the USN in any future conflict.