CLOSE LOOK AT REMOTE-CONTROLLED BOOBY TRAPPED BOATS USED BY HOUTHIS AGAINST SAUDI-LED COALITION

A report of the Conflict Armament Research (CAR) revealed new details about the Water-Born Improvised Explosive Devices (WBIEDs) that the Houthis have used to attack several warships of the Saudi-led coalition over the last two years.

The CAR inspected a WBIED captured by the UAE Navy. It was a 10-meter patrol boats powered by two 200 horsepower L200A Ymaha outboards engines. The boat was made in the UAE by Al Fattan Ship Industry. According to CAR, the UAE donated 60 boats of this type to Yemen before the outbreak of the war.

Close Look At Remote-Controlled Booby Trapped Boats Used By Houthis Against Saudi-led Coalition (Photos, Videos)

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According to CAR report, the WBIED were guided by a DIY mission computer aided by a GPS antenna made by Garmin, an autopilot compass made by Nexus and remotely controlled turntable and gimbaled camera installed on the boat’s tower.

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The WBIED is steered via a hydraulic system added on to the boat’s steering wheel. As for the explosive charge, the boat used 454kg hollow charge warhead taken from a Soviet-made P-15 Termit anti-ship missile. The warhead was contacted to several impact fuses.

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The report suggested that Iran was directly involved in the developing of the WBIED examined by the CAR’s team, as cables made by the Iranian Simia Cable Co. were used to wire the components of the guidance system together. The DIY mission computer also used a keyboard with Persian letters, according to the report.

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On January 29, a similar WBIED was used by the Houthis to hit the Saudi Navy frigate al-Madinah in the Red Sea. The Saudi frigate survived the attack but suffered a serious damage.

The Saudi Navy destroyed another WBIED of the Houthis near the coast of the Saudi Jizan province on April 26. Later on July 30, a WBIED of the Houthis targeted the Yemeni Mocha port that’s under the control of the Saudi-led coalition.

Even with a very low success rate, these WBIEDs have proven to be a real threat to the Saudi-led coalition during the Yemeni war.

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