PIRACY

[lwd]

...
2 ) Learn the lessons of the past A) Institute a convoy system

Already been done from what I've read.

B) Organise shipping control so you know exactly who is where at all times

difficult to impossible to do. The big merchant vessels are not a problem but private vessels, as well as fishing vessels, and smaller tramp steamers are a bit of a problem. As is the expanded area over which the pirates are operating.

C) put hunting groups together and start chasing them

You don't need a "group" but with the catch and release policy chasing them down is rather futile.

D) construct a "stone aircraft carrier" on Socotra island

???

...
F)All big merchant ships to carry marines ( 20 each ought to do it )

A squad would probably be enough but whoose marines? And who pays for them?

G)All merchant ships to be fitted with the anti-pirate gear as used in the china sea in the 1920s ( a bit of barbed wire on the rails , and a fire hose or two is just pathetic ) Kevlar armour the bridge and the vital areas .

Given the number of vessels you are talking about a huge expense.

[hammy]

Socotra Island lies in the sea lanes North of the Horn of Africa .
As such it is well placed to site a maritime patrol aircraft force for the sealane heading due West to the Bab el mandab ( entrance to the Red sea ) , and South to Dar-es -salaam etc .
As was done in WW2 on the Azores/Bermuda etc in the fight against the U-boats , and to a lesser extent , surface raiders .

[RF]

Im not sure that the EU civil code (law) overides the Military/old Maritime laws ; ....

My understanding is that it is intended to include military law in respect of the EU military forces to be created following the Lisbon Treaty.

[lwd]

Here's an update.
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/somalia ... 91113.aspx
Note the role of Spain.

[RF]

Openly blockading the ports as the Spanish recommend is hardly a good idea.

Blockade them by all means. But there is no reason to tell the 'pirates'' what you are doing. Let then head into the trap.

And if US Navy and Iranian warships are co-operating, my cynicism tells me to expect Al Qaeda to be co-operating with Saddam Hussein......

[lwd]

In at least a couple areas the US and Iran have interest that coincide. There are indications that at these levels they have manage to either work together or at least not get in each others way. Especially since these are out of the lime light.

Another article mostly dealing with self defence by the cargo ships:
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htseam ... 91112.aspx

[RF]

lwd,
reading that article I still think that a Q-Ship is best. These cargo ships are defensively equipped, whereas what is needed is capability of attack.

[José M. Rico]

Spain is sending 54 armed guards to be deployed on 13 Spanish fishing vessels in the area (about four men per ship).
They belong to a private security company, some of them have served in the militay before, and will be armed with rifles, machine guns, and other light equipment. The news said today that they will be payed 400 Euros per DAY. The cost will be shared by the government and the ship owners.

[hammy]

I'll go for euro 350 per day -- where do you join up ?

Actually, that is probably just about enough guys to defend an ocean going fishing boat especially if the fishing boats are working together in the same area .

The Q ship idea is fine in terms of designing one -- you could do it quite easily using standard ISO shipping containers -- tank ones in the bottom for the extra fuel and water , box ones from the bottom to near the top all down both sides filled with rockwool loft insulation ( armour ) , box ones inside those for stores and accomodation and passageways , frame flatbed ones to bolt down some 20mm / 30mm / 40mm guns inside ( rising flaps on the sides like the hilfkreuzers ) etc .
You would need to build an armoured box inside the bridge like the WW2 ships had , and clad the sides of the engine room with kevlar "splinter mattress " type protection .

From the outside she would look like just another smallish container ship .

As discussed elsewhere , the problem around the Horn of Africa is that the sea area is so vast that the chance of a group of somali type pirates attacking her would be very small , and she might parade up and down for a year and never see one .

I would use her instead in the Malacca strait between Sumatra and Malaya , or in the East indies , in the passages between the islands . Those locations are also suject to frequent piracy , and I think you would stand a much better chance of baiting an attack , especially if you planted some shipping news stories that she was a new venture carrying high value consumer electronic goods as a regular scheduled run .

You could replenish and supply her off the beaten track well out to sea using a standard RAS ship .