[dw1]

Hang them from the yardarms!

Ok, I know ships don't have yardarms any more, and hanging them from the radar mast or some other part of the superstructure could damage the ship, but there has to be someplace from which they can be hung.

A simple message: if we catch pirates in the act you will be killed - immediately and without regret or remorse.

If a pirate vessel is caught in the act, it will be sunk (or returned to its rightful owners).

On this topic, I recall a good story showing that the Indian Navy is kicking some butt, and carrying on the tradition of British understatement:

An Indian Navy frigate encountered a pirate vessel who made the mistake of firing on the frigate. As I recall, the captain was quoted as saying that he didn't know if they sunk it, but after sustained fire for all caliber of weapons aboard the frigate, the pirate vessel was on fire from stem to stern when they departed.

One can only cheer.