Mike in Chi

There's been a lot of news coverage of the Somali pirates, and holding Tankers for ransom.

VR, you mentioned putting together some private security forces for tanker protection.

Are the pirates boarding the ships and taking them over with small arms? One of the news piecves showed some guys with what looked like RPGs. Do they threaten the ships with blowing holes in the hull?

How exactly are they taking over the ships, and how would private contractors defend them?

Supposedly European naval forces were coming into play over the weekend.

Wouldn't the Pirate mother ships be easily located, and vulnerable?

Veloce Raptor

The Indian navy (a very capable force IMO) already sank one mother ship.

They are chasing their prey in small fast attack boats, then getting alongside & sending some guys up using either ladders built into the sides of some ships or firing grappling hooks & fast roping up top. They usually carry small arms, but the fast attack boats also have RPG's. They will go right for the wheelhouse & captain's quarters, and poof! They have the ship.

All you need is 5-10 well armed & well trained guys on board to take them out before they can even get close enough to cause trouble...and then pop any gomers who do happen to get on board.

Bull

The number of crew on some of the newer supertankers is much smaller than many people think, and none of them have been doing their "repel boarders" drills. The amount of dollars being spent to run around that thing called Africa in order to avoid these "pirates" could well be spent to end the problem and keep it under control.

Go get them VR!

Veloce Raptor

We are awaiting some DUH-partment of State approvals which we need. Having worked there, I know that can take between one week and 38 years.

deep_uv

Bummer. You're pretty much fukked in a couple of months.

Veloce Raptor

LOLOLOL...maybe. But that bureaucracy is so insulated from SecState, we might get lucky.

Bull

"Approvals"??? We don't need no stinkin' approvals...or clearances! If you were to hire me on as the Director of Asking Humble Forgiveness, we can move out now! ( I have some significant experience in that area..."Oh, THAT was Cambodia??")

Veloce Raptor

Yeah well, these days, they'll prosecute us for "war crimes" w/o the approvals. Trust me on this.

Mike in Chi

Well you can stay here and be prosecuted for RennCrimes

Thanks for the info on fighting pirates.

Friend of a friend story...

Guy cruised a sailboat all over the Caribbean. In an out of the way area, a high speed boat approached him. Became apparent they were going to attempt to board him. He yelled stay away. They kept coming.

The guy kept on board a large gauge pump shot gun loaded with slugs, as well as an AR15, for such situations.

Gun fight starts. He puts slugs into the bad guys' hull at the bow's waterline.

Speed boat starts sinking rapidly.

He motors away.

Tim Pruitt

I heard a story on NPR last week that there is a private group that offers protection using non-lethal weapons to deter the attacks. One of the weapons employed used loud sound waves to stop the approach of the attacking boat.

Veloce Raptor

Stop! Or I'll say stop again!

deep_uv

LMAO

mglobe

I fart in your general direction.

Bull

Or, you just play the Ann Murray Christmas album.....and they all commit suicide on the spot!

Veloce Raptor

Or, if we're the UN, we'll send a very strongly worded letter.