Comments on: Arrgh. No LCS; Many Pirates

By: Butthead

Butthead — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:19:18 +0000

The pirate issue is a strange one indeed. The LCS issue is now un issue of costs. Will the navy have enough funds for LCS fleets and still aquire Carrier battle groups. Me personally I would love to see an LCS with the ability to host helicopters like the Commanche with smaller vessels for insore pickup/deployment of specfor.
The navy uses carriers because aircraft and helicopters greatly extend range, speed, and force projection of the fleet and the carrier battle group is the visible ‘troops’ that hold the territory. I like the navies expirementation with uncommon ship designs such as the FSF-1 and others.
My last comment is why have a navy if we only use it to protect Mainland? Navy is for projecting power. Carriers project power and LCS fleets are needed to land our troops or back them up. Suck it up and spend the cash. Reduce the gimmicks on the LCS if you have to. Stealth is not a dire need. Neither is lots of big guns. Aircraft can more readily handle that from the carrier fleet and/or the LCS fleet

By: clyde ward

clyde ward — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:06:47 +0000

We can either let Saudi Arabia pay $25 million rasnom for their $110 million ship, or we can build a $220 million fleet for our Navy to deal with it, while our Navy sits 1,000 yards away and is, what, waiting for it’s hand out? I think there are way too many pirates in this whole thing, and the Somalians are about the least of it.

By: pendejo grande

pendejo grande — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:13:01 +0000

Seems like the sentiment of the majority of the world’s nations can be summed up as “Yankee go home!”. Maybe we’re giving them a small dose of what the world looks like when the yankees choose not to run it. Pain is a wonderful teacher.

By: shanemandrell

shanemandrell — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:44:21 +0000

If the orders to take the ship where given it would be done. If the orders where to sink the ship where given it would be sunk. You dont need a special ship or boat to retake a vessel you only need a seal team or two however due to the geneva conventions it would not be in our intrest to interfer or dictate policy. Most people want action but a soldier only wants peace. So if you think that this tanker or these people provide that great a risk then go after them your-self and leave the american tax dollars and american assets where they need to be and let then u.n. take care of it.

By: Ian G

Ian G — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:28:19 +0000

In an area of the world when the need for the Navy’s newest class of LCS ships to combat piracy there are NONE! Once again, another high profile program that has been funded billions of dollars and no results or better yet, no ships! The Obama administration will no bout cancel this program within the first 100 days of office. The funding will be used for national health care, wealth distribution, or other left-wing and pro-ACLU social programs waiting to be funded!

The pirates, terrorists, criminals, ACORN, ACLU, left-wing groups, and anti-Americans will win under the Obama administration! Get used to it for the next four years!

By: Orion

Orion — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:09:14 +0000

Meanwhile, the head of Intertanko — whose members own 75% of the world’s tanker fleet — said many of its members were considering re-routing their ships around South Africa to avoid pirates, and that this would raise costs by 30%.

By: Orion

Orion — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:49:56 +0000

I really can’t help myself. (well, actually I guess I could)

May’ be these pirates could be put on a payroll and sent into Iranian waters; Iranians don’t seem to mind boarding people un-necessarily either.
International waters or not. Let’em work it out!
The Grey area is expanding.

By: Orion

Orion — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:32:16 +0000

being a typical “blood thirsty” former surface warfare Destroyerman, my inclination would be, lets go solve the problem — blow the pirates out of the water and damn the consequences. But that is probably why I did not make admiral (or anything close) quoting:jstevensjr
Common Maritime Law dictates to help any vessel
under distress — so in my Navy you would be In charge!
The ransom is paid by a Consortium; not just the shipping Companies. Off setting major profits due to lack of raw materials held up off Somalia allows them the ransom amount.
I don’t think the crew matters; they’re already getting paid extra to transverse those waters, so the owners can rationalize non-guilt.
We all know the ability exists to track these guys; their phones..their bodily heat signatures; etc. Even though seemingly an enigma
due to the non-reaction, there has to be another agenda for this to continue.
Ten guys to take a super crude oil carrier?
I’ll have to do the math..
the ship sights the go-fast coming over the horizon– lats and longs sent-radios the saudis– helos are fast– so are bullets– no boarding. Something is amiss.

By: Peter Somontes, BMC(RET)

Peter Somontes, BMC(RET) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:40:33 +0000

The answer to these pirates is in the past. We should do what the British did during WW1 and deploy Q-Ships, armed ships disguised as commercial shipping. When the pirates attack, drop the camoflage and open fire.
Using Q-Ships there will be no mistaking pirate boats from fishermen, if they attack they are pirates and you sink them.

By: DC2 Jennings

DC2 Jennings — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:26:05 +0000

LCS would be no more effective in these operations than any other surface combatant ship. This is not happening in the littorals off of coast lines. This is happening in deep water.

What we really need to fight this threat is BAMS, which hopefully will be coming on line soon with the Navy Globalhawk. This in conjunction with surface ships and their aircraft should help some.

One thing to consider with regards to how difficult this is to stop is our own drug trafficking problems in the Carribean. Fast boats are used to smuggle tons of drugs in every day.

We should try and protect these shipping lanes because it is economically wise to do so and in our best interests. But we should ensure the safety of only US flagged vessels because that is our only required duty.

DC2

By: NumberOneD

NumberOneD — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:25:10 +0000

I am still trying to understand how pirates get away after receiving ransom since they are out on a ship far out to sea. If they have boats that are too fast for destroyers and the like, why aren’t similar speed vessels, helicopters, electronic surveillence and tracing equipment with appropriate armaments; with heavier backup vessals deployed to block their escape and capture them. They keep getting away! What’s up with that? We know where they are each and every time.

By: Orion

Orion — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:10:44 +0000

Sorry. but one more thought re the U.S. Navy

The Navy has vessels which have the maneuverability– hatches could be battened down and these so called pirates would simply get run over. No gun fire necessary; just bad helmsmanship.
There isn’t anyone giving tickets for that yet..
not out here in the open. I could just see the headlines.….of course if the pirates throw their guns overboard at the last minute and became innocent civilians ?
That’s probably for another blog.

By: Orion

Orion — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:54:59 +0000

Troll Lord I’m sure there are plenty of ex-military personnel (like me) willing to perform the mission for the right salary and benefits.
agreed:
Seems like a paid cruise; just with thermal and night vision and perhaps a Barrett or two. I’m
sure a Helo could land on any of those large ships and contain the rpg carrying gentlemen.
Check Blackwater;the McArthur is exactly designed to contain this kind of behaviour. As they leave land or before they ever get near anyone. Kudos about the comment about the Saudis and getting religious. Another Agenda all together.

By: Mr.T

Mr.T — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 03:05:40 +0000

I have an idea: Seems some of the hijacked ships belong to the Saudis. Why can’t they take care of the problem themselves?

Consider: The Saudis have a navy equiped with US-built ships that have the General Dynamics built CIWS Phalanx gun system installed onboard. That gun fires 3000 20mm rounds per minute — talk about making near-instant toothpicks out of a small craft such as the pirates are using.

But then the pirates are likely muslims. Unlikely the Saudis would take any offensive action against such religious ilk.

Probably a bad idea.

By: Joe Mazzafro

Joe Mazzafro — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 01:01:36 +0000

Is Under Secretary Young telling us the USN does not have the right force mix to deal with priacy?!?!? If that is the case then the leadership of the US Navy should stop telling its sailors and the people of the United States that we possess the strongest Navy in the history of world. Some will remember that the USN proved its relevance to the United States by dealing effectively with the Barbary Coast Pirates joe mazzafr

By: Troll Lord

Troll Lord — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 00:19:32 +0000

During WWII, freighters armed themselves with cannon and small arms to fight off German raiders. The shipping company owners are scoundrels, unwilling to pay the price to arm their ships, and hire a security combat team. I’m sure there are plenty of ex-military personnel (like me) willing to perform the mission for the right salary and benefits.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 23:45:11 +0000

I know the boats used are small and fast, but so are some of the assets the Navy already has. seems like a blockade enforced by simply sinking the violators of the blockade would be a simple solution

By: hagebono

hagebono — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:32:22 +0000

Ninety percent of the time pundits argue that America should mind their own business and not act as the World’s police force. Yet when they take no action they’re criticized…what’s that about cake and eating it?

By: KB

KB — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:29:40 +0000

Unfortunately, coward nations have paid ransom, and made piracy profitable. Now they will have to sleep in this bed.

By: CAPT Egan

CAPT Egan — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:17:24 +0000

Piracy is best handled ashore. Otherwise at sea you will always be chasing ghosts and they will keep coming at you because piracy breeds in an environment of failed and lawless states. As long as they have the logistics support infrastructure ashore with cooperation of local authorities and markets to sell their booty piracy is extraordinarily costly and difficult to stamp out. This is a mission for the
Marines and Navy to seize the ports and deny the use of harbor refuge and support logistics.