The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On July 19, 2024, an online daily, Rai Al-Youm, published an article authored by Kamel Al-Ma'meri, a Yemeni journalist who identified himself as a journalist specializing in military affairs.
The article was titled: "How Can Aircraft Carrier Roosevelt Be Expelled From The Red Sea Through A Well-Thought-Out Offensive Plan?" The author suggests multiple military tactics that can be used by Yemen's Ansar Allah Movement (Houthis) to target and "expel" the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, from the Red Sea.
The author offers several suggestions aimed at improving Houthi military support to Hamas following the terrorist group's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
In his introduction, the author acknowledges that U.S. aircraft carriers are among the most powerful tools that the U.S. naval force deploys. He explains to readers that they provide "a mobile military base capable of carrying out large-scale operations anywhere in the world."
Nonetheless, he argues, "as previous experiences have shown, these giant ships can be vulnerable to organized and sophisticated attacks."
To support his argument, the author explains that "through advanced military strategy, the aircraft carrier 'Roosevelt' can be expelled from the Red Sea, taking advantage of the lessons learned from the attack on 'Eisenhower'." The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower departed the Red Sea in late June, after completing its mission. The Houthis falsely claim to have struck the aircraft carrier.
Targeting The Flight Deck
Elaborating, he discusses what he sees as vulnerabilities in the U.S. aircraft carrier that he believes that can be exploited by the Houthis:
“Although the aircraft carrier Roosevelt is equipped with advanced defensive systems, it has some vulnerabilities that could be exploited in an organized attack, starting with its flight deck, which is where aircraft take off and land. It is a large one, which makes it an exposed target. If attacked, it can severely disrupt the flight operations and the command-and-control centers, which are equipped with the electronic and control systems to manage operations on board of the carrier. Targeting these centers can cripple the carrier's ability to coordinate and control operations."
Targeting Fuel, Ammunition Depots
He further suggests that the Houthis target the ammunition and fuel depots, writing: "These depots contain highly explosive and sensitive materials. Hitting them can lead to large explosions and serious damage to the carrier."
Noting that the Houthis possess a variety of advanced weapons that could be used strategically to "expel the Roosevelt aircraft carrier from the Red Sea," he urged them to use "coordinated tactics that rely on drones, ballistic, and cruise missiles, torpedoes, smart sea mines, and unmanned boats" to defuse the carrier's defenses and force it to withdraw.
Drones To Disrupt Radar
The author also suggests using drones: "Swarms of small drones could be used to engage the carrier's air defense systems and its accompanying ships."
These drones could be equipped with electronic jamming devices to disrupt radar and communications reconnaissance systems, he writes; drones could also be equipped with cameras and sensors to gather intelligence about the carrier's defense locations and weak points, he adds.
He then argues that collecting intelligence information through drones could help in launching more effective and accurate missile attacks on the carrier.
The author also suggests equipping some drones with small explosives to target specific weak points on the carrier, such as radar or defense systems.
Launching Long-Range Ballistic Missiles
On the use of ballistic missiles to target the U.S. carrier, he proposed "launching long-range ballistic missiles to hit the carrier from safe distances. These missiles can carry powerful warheads capable of causing serious damage to the carrier's infrastructure."
Launching a large number of ballistic missiles at the same time would distract and confuse air defense systems, which increases the chance of hitting U.S. targets, he adds.
Additionally, he suggested using "winged missiles" to carry out precise attacks on specific vulnerable points, such as ammunition depots or propulsion and power systems: "These missiles are characterized by their high accuracy and their ability to fly at low altitudes to avoid detection."
He went on: "Coordinate cruise missile launches with ballistic attacks to increase pressure on defenses and achieve maximum damage."
Use Torpedoes, Mines
As for the use of torpedoes against the carrier, the author claimed that "they can target underwater systems, such as propulsion systems and propellers, disrupting a ship's movement by launching several torpedoes from different directions at once to confuse naval defenses, and make it difficult to intercept them all."
Likewise, he called on Houthis to plant smart sea mines in areas surrounding the carrier's potential route: "These mines could explode when approached, causing serious damage to the ship."
Laying mines in strategic areas could force the carrier to change its course, increasing its chances of being exposed to further attacks, he adds.
"Equip drone boats with explosives and use them to carry out suicide attacks on the carrier and its accompanying ships," he writes. "These small boats are fast-moving and difficult to detect. This increases pressure on defensive systems and allows other attacks a greater chance of success," he said.
Element of Surprise
Addressing the Houthis, he advised them to change their attack strategy, saying that the U.S. Navy may have information about their existing strategy from previous attacks on the USS Eisenhower.
"Such information could contribute to the development of counter-tactics by the American forces, making it necessary for the Yemeni side to use innovative methods and tactics to ensure the achievement of the desired goals."
Using a new strategy may include surprising tactics, he says, and coordinating attacks from several directions. Using "a combination of advanced weapons and tactics to confuse American defenses and exhaust their resources" is a must.
He stresses that such a strategy should be flexible, with an emphasis on maintaining the "element of surprise" and overwhelming defenses to neutralize the ability of the carrier to effectively counter the attacks.
To ensure the success of the attack on the USS Roosevelt, he proposes utilizing dispersal attack tactics.
"The goal of these attacks is to confuse the American defense systems and distract them from the main attack, which increases the chances of success of basic strikes. The purpose of distracting attacks is to confuse the defenses, and distract the air defense systems and ships accompanying the aircraft carrier. When defenses are busy dealing with small, widespread attacks, it is difficult for them to focus on the main threat."
"U.S. Defenses Have Limited Resources"
The author further points out that "U.S. defenses have limited resources, such as interceptor missiles and anti-aircraft guns. Dispersal attacks aim to exhaust these resources before the main attack begins. For example, launching swarms of drones to occupy defense systems - these aircraft could be equipped with electronic jamming devices or even small explosives, but the main purpose is to create a large number of small targets that need to be dealt with."
These drones can carry electronic jamming devices to disable radar and communications systems on the carrier and accompanying ships, further confusing defenses and reducing their ability to coordinate, he adds.
"Dispersal attacks must also be well coordinated with the main attack. For example, dispersal attacks can begin on the flanks or corners, while the main attack focuses on points."
Carrying out these attacks in a coordinated and deliberate manner increases the chances of basic strikes being successful, and achieving the desired objectives, he claims.
"This approach depends on precise timing and high coordination between different units to ensure maximum impact on hostile defenses."
To ensure the effectiveness of the attack on the USS Roosevelt, the attack must be carried out from several directions simultaneously, he recommends.
When missiles are launched from several different geographical locations, attacks come from multiple angles and directions, he explains, which makes it difficult for U.S. air defense systems to calculate the trajectory of missiles and to counter them. Swarms of drones could be launched from different angles to attack specific weak points in U.S. defenses.
Fast Boat Attacks
Further, he recommends using "fast attack boats from several directions to attack the carrier and its escort ships." He says these small boats can "slip" between larger ships and carry out surprise attacks.
Her argues that multi-directional attacks force U.S. defenses to disperse their efforts and focus on several targets at once, increasing the chances that some attacks will go unchallenged.
"Increased pressure resulting from attacks from multiple directions can overwhelm the defensive staff and cause them to make quick and inaccurate decisions. Here, the timing of attacks must be coordinated, so that they reach the targets at the same time or with a small-time difference. This ensures that defenses are occupied with more than one threat at the same moment. Attacks must be integrated, with drones, missiles and attack boats supporting each other. For example, drones could operate air defense systems, while missiles and boats could be directed to deliver direct strikes."
