Article

2008-10-23 Africa Horn

NATO anti-piracy force in Somalia within days

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Posted by tu3031 2008-10-23 09:51|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 "This is a very, very complicated thing to do ... pirates don't identify themselves with eye-patches and crooked-hands, it isn't always immediately obvious that they are pirates."

Firing on registered merchantmen usually is a clear sign of identity. The leadership needs to watch a few episodes of COPS to get the 'suspicious' behavior ROE to pull the perp over. Make note of failure to have proper operating lights. "Sir, you're missing the appropriate red and green lights operating in a major traffic lane." Ask for registration and license and proof of insurance. "Please, step out of the vehicle here for the interview".

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-10-23 11:58|| 2008-10-23 11:58|| Front Page Top

#2 Or they could crib some notes from the LTTE

Posted by USN, Ret. 2008-10-23 14:42|| 2008-10-23 14:42|| Front Page Top

#3 hit enter too quick,, should be:
"Or they could crib some notes from the LTTE engagement ROE. that seemed to work fairly well."

Posted by USN, Ret. 2008-10-23 14:44|| 2008-10-23 14:44|| Front Page Top

#4 The leadership needs to watch a few episodes of COPS to get the 'suspicious' behavior ROE to pull the perp over. Make note of failure to have proper operating lights...

Therein lies the glitch. The motherships will likely be operating with proper running lights and look like any other fishing or small cargo vessel. If not, the naval assets are going to be spending a lot of time boarding and searching any ship that could be a mothership. And that requires either an agressive set of orders, an international mandate (similar to the Iraqi embargo), or simply ignoring long-established maritime law.

Small boats however, are another matter. I don't know if you've ever sailed in that area, but there's lots of small craft. There aren't enough naval assets to stop and search every one of them.
Also, IIUC, the small boats used by the pirates are either carried aboard or trailed behind the mothership, and released only when there is a target in sight.

So we're back to finding the motherships.

Posted by Pappy 2008-10-23 16:31|| 2008-10-23 16:31|| Front Page Top

#5 Warships are NOT the vessel of choice for this engagement. What is needed is a squadron of AC-130s who can come in and fire on a small boat on the water AND HIT IT, with a fast-reaction time, lots of loiter capability, and good radar/radio assets. Ships are too slow. Even at 35 knots, it'll take a ship several hours to close with a ship even a hundred miles away, while an AC-130 can be there in half an hour.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2008-10-23 17:34|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2008-10-23 17:34|| Front Page Top

#6 You're talking 'response' when you haven't reached the initial stages first.

You still have to find the boat. Radar - maybe.

You still have to ID the boat and its cargo. How do you do that if there's a tarp? IR? Perhaps/ What if it's a boatload of illegal immigrants enroute to Yemen? (and before you bozos say "screw 'em", remember that's it's a damn good way to end the anti-piracy operation very) early).

No, this is going to have to be more painstaking, at first.

Posted by Pappy 2008-10-23 20:51|| 2008-10-23 20:51|| Front Page Top

#7 Sounds like the US Navy has discovered an incidental testing ground for UAV/USV armed escort and recce, "mother ship", etc. battlespace concepts - VIETNAM-ERA RIVERINE PATROL FORCE MEETS "STAR WARS"???

ION US NAVY > the USN is reportedly intent on DEV NEW STRATEGIC OPERATIONS CONCEPTS, e.g. establishment of FUTURIST "GLOBAL FLEET STATIONS" in select regions.

Read, OWG-NWO + SPACE OPERATIONS NEW MISSIONS SCOPES.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-10-23 21:02|| 2008-10-23 21:02|| Front Page Top

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