Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa (Post 4600584)

not a strong enough message IMHO.

isn't the lifeboat unsinkable without doing enough damage that would kill the inhabitants?


My plan:

1. Destroy it, be done with it.

2. Swarms of predator drones get launched by the Navy in the short term.

3. Shipping companies pony up for their own predator drones launched from the ships (when a ship feels threatened) by Navy trained civilian crew but are controlled by Navy personnel in Nebraska. I see a few U.S. jobs created as icing on the cake.

Originally Posted by Seahawk (Post 4600643)

thinking someone is a pirate and waxing them is often distasteful when they turn out to be a Somalia Wedding Party out for a cruise.

All irony intended.

Originally Posted by Seahawk (Post 4600643)

Predator are shore launched...the UAS' that are out there flying off of ships are called Scan Eagles...I know 'cause I put them there in a former career.

The problem is not Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities...it is the big water, small ship equation. That and the rules of engagement: thinking someone is a pirate and waxing them is often distasteful when they turn out to be a Somalia Wedding Party out for a cruise.

All irony intended.

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa (Post 4600664)

OK, so we get a bunch of Scan Eagles.

As an expert, how fast can these be deployed from a ship?

New rule of engagement: come within X meters to a freighter, where X is the distance between which a Pirate attacker can engage a freighter once spotted and a Scan Eagel can be launched to protect the ship, and you will be destroyed.

alternatively, have 3 Scan Eagles circling the ship on a continuous basis.

we need to create new rules of engagement and build the infrastructure around those rules.

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa (Post 4600664)

OK, so we get a bunch of Scan Eagles.

As an expert, how fast can these be deployed from a ship?

New rule of engagement: come within X meters to a freighter, where X is the distance between which a Pirate attacker can engage a freighter once spotted and a Scan Eagel can be launched to protect the ship, and you will be destroyed.

alternatively, have 3 Scan Eagles circling the ship on a continuous basis.

we need to create new rules of engagement and build the infrastructure around those rules.

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy (Post 4600679)

I think the number of ships passing through the area would make 3 drones per ship very cost prohibitive, and overkill. Having some sort of surveillance and control on site (King Air 350ER from my company:cool:) controlling multiple drones patrolling the area would probably be sufficient.

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy (Post 4600679)

I think the number of ships passing through the area would make 3 drones per ship very cost prohibitive, and overkill. Having some sort of surveillance and control on site (King Air 350ER from my company:cool:) controlling multiple armed drones patrolling the area would probably be sufficient.

Originally Posted by Seahawk (Post 4600678)

They can be deployed in minutes and fly for over 15 hours at a cruise speed of 60 kts. Do a google on Insitu Corp. They are luanched and recovered aboard amphips and DDG's. They are amazing little creatures but are not currently armed...they provide full motion video back to the ship. The data link is line of sight so think 80 miles of effective IRS coverage.

I wish I could share the incredible amount of information these small air vehicles bring to the fight.

Concur with new ROE, but that would come with a price the first time an innocent is killed.

Originally Posted by Seahawk (Post 4600643)

Predators are shore launched, the Navy only has a few special mission P's...the UAS' that are out there flying off of ships are called Scan Eagles...I know 'cause I put them there in a former career.

The problem is not Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities...it is the big water, small ship equation. That and the rules of engagement: thinking someone is a pirate and waxing them is often distasteful when they turn out to be a Somalia Wedding Party out for a cruise.

All irony intended.

Originally Posted by m21sniper (Post 4600780)

Not many wedding parties 100nm or more out to sea i suspect. ;)

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa (Post 4600399)

the day pirate activities command the full attention of any President of the US, ALL pirates have won, gaining significant legitimacy and bargaining power in future endeavors, essentially elevating pirates to the level of a country.




While the pirates may not have commanded the full attention of the President, you can bet he was one of the first informed, and IMO has been helping to guide the "ship of decisions". This is a new instance for the U.S. Presidency and I'm betting somebody called somebody who called the President for direction. I would imagine he met with the Joint Chiefs, and probably his cabinet, they offered options, and he made the decision which has been relayed to the Naval Officers to do just what they are doing. Our folks knew that the American Captain was in the water, but it appears that for some reason the option to take out the boat at that time was not a available to them. Why? We don't want to piss off Somalia? Or any Muslim country? Currently it doesn't seem as though we're leading, just bowing.

I don't believe the pirates (terrorist's) will win, and they have no legitimacy (currently). I think our current (today's) policy is actually enabling and offering hope (legitimacy) to the pirates that if they start to play nice we might actually open a dialogue with them, (just like a country) set them free with no harm, no foul and set them up to attack again when they are better prepared. I hope to h**l that Captain doesn't pay for his and our decisions with his life. Again, IMO this is an example where the President has an opportunity to demonstrate The United States has very strong position against piracy.




No President should ever comment on pirates except to hope for the safety of any hostages and to say that the proper authorities have been deployed.