Tehran Pledges Revenge Following US Seizure of Iran-Flagged Vessel

US forces intercepted the Iran-flagged cargo ship M/V Touska on Sunday. The destroyer USS Spruance fired several rounds into the vessel’s engine room to disable it, and US Marines then boarded and took control.

Tehran has pledged revenge following the US seizure of the Iran-flagged vessel. Iranian officials warned of retaliatory measures after the operation.

The USS Spruance

The Spruance is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. It displaces roughly 9,000 tons and measures just over 500 feet.

The ship carries a crew of 329. It entered service with the fleet in 2011.

Main gun: Mark 45 five-inch

The Spruance used its 5-inch gun to disable the cargo ship’s engine room. The Navy identified this weapon as the Mark 45.

First deployed in 1971, the Mark 45 has a range of about 15 miles with conventional ammunition. It is fully automatic and can fire 16 to 20 rounds per minute from a 20-round drum, which crews reload below deck.

Other weapons and defenses

The destroyer carries an array of offensive and defensive systems. These include torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles for land strikes.

For air and missile defense, the Spruance fields Standard interceptors and Sea Sparrow missiles. The ship also maintains short-range defenses against aircraft and incoming missiles.

Operational context and namesake

The Spruance operates with the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group. Its homeport is San Diego.

The vessel is named for Admiral Raymond Spruance. He commanded US carriers at the 1942 Battle of Midway, where US forces sank four Japanese aircraft carriers.

This report appears on Filmogaz.com, which will continue to monitor developments related to the incident. More updates will follow as official statements emerge.