It's about damn time.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Loaded: Freighters Ready to Shoot Across Pirate Bow
Some Cargo Ships Break Maritime Tradition by Taking Up Arms but Many Carriers Fear That Will Threaten -- Not Improve -- Safety

[Calilasseia]

It's known as "upping the ante".

Mind you, the pirates around Somalia learned the hard way to pick and choose their targets. Back in 2006, a small group of them in 1 30ft fishing boat hadn't learned this lesson. They decided to attack the USS Cape St George and the USS Gonzales.

For those who, unlike 'Zilla with his vast naval expertise, aren't familiar with the hilarity that revolves around the idea of Somali pirates in a 30ft fishing boat (weapons: one RPG and some semi-automatic rifles) taking on the above two vessels, allow me to reveal the degree of hilarity involved.

A bunch of raggedy Third World pirates on board a 30ft fishing boat took on a Ticonderoga Class Cruiser. Here's a rundown of what this thing packs by way of firepower. Oh, joy. This is a ship that can fire Tomahawks - including nuclear tipped ones. Not to mention Asroc, Harpoon (and the upgraded version known as SLAM-ER) and a couple of other nice pieces of ordnance. For those not in the know, the AGM-84D Harpoon is the US Navy's version of Exocet. It's designed to sink former Soviet battle cruisers such as the Moskva or the Kiev. I like the way they describe the 5-inch guns as 'lightweight' - just one shell from those could send that 30ft trawler to Davy Jones' Locker with a well aimed shot.

I know what I'd do if I was on a 30ft fishing boat and a Ticonderoga Class Cruiser pulled alongside with radio communications to the effect of "stand by to be boarded" ... I'd wave a white flag and hope to Christ they didn't find anything iffy on the boat. Oh, and probably shit myself into the bargain. But then I know what those ships are capable of. With nuclear-tipped Tomahawks, a Ticonderoga Class Cruiser is capable of flattening a city the size of Baghdad. Oh yes, what a jolly wheeze, guys, point an RPG at one of these ships and watch them laugh ... dickheads.

Still, could have been even funnier. The USS New Jersey could still be in service, and the pirates could have tried pointing their RPG at that. Ha ha ha ha ha, 30ft fishing boat and RPG versus a 50,000 ton battleship with 16 inch guns, capable of firing nuclear shells up to 23 miles away. Obviously someone skimped on these guys' education ... first rule of war at sea, if it's got bloody big guns, or lots of fuck-off missiles, stay WELL AWAY.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Sadly enough, I was on a cruiser that would have had problems with a boat-load of nut-cases. The "double-ended AAW cruiser" was a great idea, two launchers instead of one, but it eliminated the 5" gun forward. We had no CIWS ("R2-D2s", for you sci-fi fans), and the largest slug-throwers were M-60s.

Trigger Warning!!!1! :

[Don't Panic]

Sadly enough, I was on a cruiser that would have had problems with a boat-load of nut-cases. The "double-ended AAW cruiser" was a great idea, two launchers instead of one, but it eliminated the 5" gun forward. We had no CIWS ("R2-D2s", for you sci-fi fans), and the largest slug-throwers were M-60s.

Trigger Warning!!!1! :

Go to full speed, open up a little distance and plant a missile amidships?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Sadly enough, I was on a cruiser that would have had problems with a boat-load of nut-cases. The "double-ended AAW cruiser" was a great idea, two launchers instead of one, but it eliminated the 5" gun forward. We had no CIWS ("R2-D2s", for you sci-fi fans), and the largest slug-throwers were M-60s.

Trigger Warning!!!1! :

Go to full speed, open up a little distance and plant a missile amidships?

A 30' boat, probably wood, wouldn't be a target for a Harpoon. They're ship killers. The chaff rockets would be more dangerous to a small craft.

[JimC]

Sadly enough, I was on a cruiser that would have had problems with a boat-load of nut-cases. The "double-ended AAW cruiser" was a great idea, two launchers instead of one, but it eliminated the 5" gun forward. We had no CIWS ("R2-D2s", for you sci-fi fans), and the largest slug-throwers were M-60s.

Trigger Warning!!!1! :

Go to full speed, open up a little distance and plant a missile amidships?

A 30' boat, probably wood, wouldn't be a target for a Harpoon. They're ship killers. The chaff rockets would be more dangerous to a small craft.

All naval vessels should have a couple of trusty 40 mm Bofors for situations involving small enemy craft...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

All naval vessels should have a couple of trusty 40 mm Bofors for situations involving small enemy craft...

The Navy now has 40mm grenade launchers and 20mm pintle mounted guns. There are other things, but you won't hear about them from me.

[JimC]

The other thing I wonder is why "somebody" doesn't just go and clear out those Somali pirates in their nests. Attack helicopters at dawn...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The other thing I wonder is why "somebody" doesn't just go and clear out those Somali pirates in their nests. Attack helicopters at dawn...

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out?

[JimC]

The other thing I wonder is why "somebody" doesn't just go and clear out those Somali pirates in their nests. Attack helicopters at dawn...

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out?

Just blow up their boats at their moorings...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The other thing I wonder is why "somebody" doesn't just go and clear out those Somali pirates in their nests. Attack helicopters at dawn...

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out?

Just blow up their boats at their moorings...

They're fishing boats.

[JimC]

The other thing I wonder is why "somebody" doesn't just go and clear out those Somali pirates in their nests. Attack helicopters at dawn...

Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out?

Just blow up their boats at their moorings...

They're fishing boats.

I heard that the pirate boats were pretty hotted up and fast...

Drone with good optics might be able to pick out the ones that are clearly not simple fishing boats, then send down a little message...

Or the other thing that could happen is that they could do something dreadful to a Chinese registered merchant vessel, and the PRC could decide to go ape...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I heard that the pirate boats were pretty hotted up and fast...

But that doesn't show from the outside.

Drone with good optics might be able to pick out the ones that are clearly not simple fishing boats, then send down a little message...

Wouldn't know anything about drones and such things.

Or the other thing that could happen is that they could do something dreadful to a Chinese registered merchant vessel, and the PRC could decide to go ape...

Chinese Navy charging across the I.O. Not a volatile situation. I'm sure Ian would be pleased to see that happen.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

The other thing I wonder is why "somebody" doesn't just go and clear out those Somali pirates in their nests. Attack helicopters at dawn...

... because their 'nest' is actually a small city or several; complete with women, children and an attendant service industry providing everything from food, education, health care and clothing to boats, weapons and ammunition.

This is not a handful of latter-day Long John Silvers but an entire, disenfranchised community fighting to survive in a forgotten corner of a failed state the only way it can. If anyone deserves 'dawn raids' and 'clearing out', it is the 'government' and 'rebel islamist' troops that have kept Somalia in a state of political, territorial and religious warfare for decades! Oh, and the western arms dealers that have grown fat on their misery.

A properly policed rule of law, based upon egalitarian principles, in Somalia is what is required - not more killing. Sadly though, the country has fuck-all in the way of oil, so international intervention is unlikely.

(And yes, I am simplifying the situation - but not as much as some.)

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The other thing I wonder is why "somebody" doesn't just go and clear out those Somali pirates in their nests. Attack helicopters at dawn...

... because their 'nest' is actually a small city or several; complete with women, children and an attendant service industry providing everything from food, education, health care and clothing to boats, weapons and ammunition.

This is not a handful of latter-day Long John Silvers but an entire, disenfranchised community fighting to survive in a forgotten corner of a failed state the only way it can. If anyone deserves 'dawn raids' and 'clearing out', it is the 'government' and 'rebel islamist' troops that have kept Somalia in a state of political, territorial and religious warfare for decades! Oh, and the western arms dealers that have grown fat on their misery.

A properly policed rule of law, based upon egalitarian principles, in Somalia is what is required - not more killing. Sadly though, the country has fuck-all in the way of oil, so international intervention is unlikely.

(And yes, I am simplifying the situation - but not as much as some.)

Agreed. This is mostly "pick up" crews that don't have anything to loose. They're fishermen one day, pirates the next, for the most part. There are "professional" gangs, of course, but they can be found out fishing when there's nothing on the horizon.