Posted on 03/18/2006 11:21:12 AM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
ABOARD USS CAPE ST. GEORGE, At sea (NNS) -- USS Cape St. George (CG 71) and USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) returned fire on a group of suspected pirates in the Indian Ocean, killing one and wounding five, approximately 25 nautical miles off the central eastern coast of Somalia in international waters at 5:40 a.m. local time, March 18.
Cape St. George, a guided-missile cruiser, and Gonzalez, a guided-missile destroyer, were conducting maritime security operations in the area as part of Combined Task Force 150, a maritime coalition task force currently led by Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Hank Ort, when they spotted a suspect vessel towing two smaller skiffs heading west toward the coast. As Gonzalez’s boarding teams prepared to conduct a routine boarding of the suspect vessel, the two Norfolk, Va.-based Navy ships noticed the group of suspected pirates were brandishing what appeared to be rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers.
The suspected pirates then opened fire on the Navy ships. Cape St. George and Gonzalez returned fire with small arms in self-defense.
One suspected pirate was killed and a fire ignited aboard the main suspect vessel. Boarding teams from Cape St. George and Gonzalez took twelve other suspects into custody, including the five injured. The Navy boarding teams also confiscated an RPG launcher and automatic weapons. No U.S. Sailors were injured in the engagement.
The Navy ships are providing medical treatment to the wounded suspects, continuing search and rescue efforts for any additional suspects and collecting further evidence from the vessel and skiffs. Royal Netherlands Navy medical personnel, including a medical doctor, are en route to assist from HNLMS Amsterdam.
Coalition forces conduct maritime security operations under international maritime conventions to ensure security and safety in international waters so that all commercial shipping can operate freely while transiting the region.
On March 15, the United Nations Security Council encouraged naval forces operating off the coast of Somalia to be vigilant and take action against piracy. Pirate attacks against aid ships have hindered UN efforts to provide relief to the victims of a severe drought in the area.
For more news from around the fleet, visit www.navy.mil.
Some pirate made a very big mistake..Never take a peashooter to a gunfight.
A crusier and a destroyer tool up to a 30' fishing boat and the crew of the fishing boat decide to open fire? What were they? High?
Hint, look south of Iran and west of northern Oman.
I agree. Although I wonder if the CWIS can only be fired through radar target aquisition at arial targets, or if it can be fired manually at surface targets. A few 1/4 second bursts from a CWIS would ruin any pirate's day! There really should be at least 6 (maybe 1 fore and aft, and 2 on each side, to be able to bring at least 3 to bear on any single target) or more M-2 mounts, and maybe some of those nifty little automatic grenade launchers.
Mark
It's the red country on the map, north of Tanzania, and west of Sudan.
Mark
Why the hell not kill them all. These are enemy combatants out of uniform. Give them medical treatment, turn them loose and they'll be right back at it next month. The objective of the war on terror is to ELIMINATE terrorists. Not refurbish them and turn them loose.
Trial and hanging at sea, after interrogation.
The Deck Gun would have been perfect. Send a message to other pirates not to mess with us.
Allahu akbar!
Pirates my ass.
The Phalanx does have a surface mode for attacking fast missile boats.
Definent Darwin Award candidates
"Heck, use this and watch them dance!"
The Red Mist Polka?
Maybe they thought the U.S. ships were being run by Democrats?? In which case there would be no resistance.
Sounds like our navy fought a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent.
..get in close enough beforehand, and an RPG or 6 could do a world of hurt on this glass jaw queen...
..navy only functions in "stand-off" mode; get inside this prize fighter, and you can take him down...
seen that before (USS Cole)
Kinda like quick-drawing against the Lone Ranger?
Not too bright....
I am not surprised China would do that.
Come on, you astute HTML/Java Freepers, make one anyway. These guys are funny.
LOL! SOT
I've read that the Phalanx has a manual over-ride, but how that is used I have no idea how.....
anybody know anything about the Phalanx?
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