Posted on 10/31/2007 5:06:26 PM PDT by decimon
Robots versus pirates—it’s not as stupid, or unlikely, as it sounds. Piracy has exploded in the waters near Somalia, where this past week United States warships have fired on two pirate skiffs, and are currently in pursuit of a hijacked Japanese-owned vessel. At least four other ships in the region remain under pirate control, and the problem appears to be going global: The International Maritime Bureau is tracking a 14-percent increase in worldwide pirate attacks this year.
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For years now, law enforcement agencies across the high seas have proposed robotic boats, or unmanned surface vessels (USVs), as a way to help deal with 21st-Century techno Black Beards. The Navy has tested at least two small, armed USV demonstrators designed to patrol harbors and defend vessels. And both the Navy and the Coast Guard have expressed interest in the Protector, a 30-ft.-long USV built by BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Israeli defense firm RAFAEL.
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Wait until the pirates meet Ensign Borg.
Its a shame the trend has gone against arming the crews of vessles. Mount a couple of 50cals on deck. Give the crews personal weapons then the pirates would be thinking twice about attacking.
Can anyone place that photo? Looks like a floating dry dock in the back?
Agreed. Pirates, like any predator, go after easy prey.
That is what eventuated in the recent hijacking of a North Korean freighter. The crew shot it out with the pirates and ended the highjacking. The commies arm their crews.
That is what eventuated in the recent hijacking of a North Korean freighter. The crew shot it out with the pirates and ended the highjacking. The commies arm their crews. The USN pached up the wounded on both sides and sent the pirates off in the care of the crew of the freighter.
The pirate ships shouldn’t be a hard target for an ASW plane or a squadron of them.
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