[jester]

Originally Posted by Fusilier

In many cases the hijackings occur stealthfully. They side up to the vessel at night and board. There's nothing a mounted weapon would prevent in these common cases. As well, pirates would now be armed with captured mounted 50s... which is a little more than the AKs they have now.

And that is why a few extra men on watch are needed. When a small boat is sighted, the alert is sounded, the ship takes counter measures to include manning the gun and the high pressure firehoses and the captain relays their position so warships in the region can come to the scene or at least monitor the situation. A ships officer should use a video camera to film the pirates so that they can use it later to identify them. When the vessels get within range and a warning has been made they get opened up on with the .50, they try to board remember boarding a vessel at night while moving is not that easy. They they get his with the hoses and should it come to it, small arms. Another cool idea some of those M37 cylinder loaded grenade launchers loaded with CS and even stink bombs send a few rounds of those into the attacking vessels that would make their boarding very difficicult.

Armed ships? A lot of nations have regulations about armed vessels entering their ports. That's going to be a big international headache to have to sort out.

Let the lawyers settle that. Remember, alot of countries also have issues with alcohol, tobacco and porn too. But, there is a reason ships sail under various flags, and as I recall due to its flag it is in many aspects considered almost sovern soil of the nation under which it is flagged. Of course then we have the nationality of the crew and the ownership of the company/shipping line.



Inadvertent killings? A US navy ship killed an Egyptian a few months ago because he was trying to get his speedboat close enough to sell cigarettes. Its common practice in that area it seems. Who's to say the boat approaching are pirates if they are not shooting or openly wielding weapons? I have my doubts that the gunners can pull this off in a sea chock full of small boats without killing some innocent fisherman.

Sh-it happens. It happened in the PI, Oki and other places where the locals would sneak on the bases to steal the spent cassings, salvage metal from unexploded ordinance and similiar. Sorry but such things happens. Then again the area is a "hot zone" so it is not as if they do not know the risks of doing such stupid things. With such incidents as the Cole and other similiar attacks it is a do it at your own risk thing.

You are in Thailand, do they still have the bonka boats that go out to the US Navy ships? I would imagine they no longer do as a result of such incidents as the Cole.

I just don't think the solution is as simple as mounting weaponry.

It is more than mounting weapons for sure. Vigilance on the part of the crews who are often 3rd worlders and from what I hear not the best sailors and surely not the most dilligent for sure. But arming vessels, puitting troops on some vessels <like the sky marshalls they are not on all planes, but it is up to the badguys to figure it out, a gamble for the badies. And awareness and comitment on the parts of the crews and ships, and yes military action on the pirate centers. Some say the problem is the poverty of the region, so should we go back into Somalia and eliminate the leading badguys who are preventing the aid from getting through and prevenitng the normalcy from returning to the land? NOT GONNA HAPPEN! Who is going to go into Somalia? And force them by gunpoint to stop fighting? And to do so you would have to eliminate the entire clan system and clan loyalty. And if the woeful state they live in and their children are raised is not enough incentive for them, then it just is not going to happen. They do not want it! So give them what they understand, a hard kick and hot lead.