Pirates fire at U.S. Navy ship off Somalia

Reuters ^ | May 7, 2009

[Oldeconomybuyer]

MANAMA (Reuters) - Pirates have fired small arms weapons at a U.S. Navy supply ship off the coast of Eastern Somalia, the first attack of this kind since last year's surge in pirate attacks, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday.

The USNS Lewis and Clark was chased for about an hour on Wednesday morning by two pirates skiffs, but neither came closer than about one nautical mile to the U.S. vessel, the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet said in a statement.

The small arms fire fell well short of the U.S. ship which speeded up to evade the skiffs.

The USNS Lewis and Clark earlier served as a temporary detention facility for suspected pirates arrested at sea, but its operations are now limited to providing supplies to other U.S. ships operating in the area.

Somali pirates have increased their activities in recent weeks, defying the presence of international navies in the area.

[vox_freedom]

Any chance we can get Greenpeace to come over there?

lol; good one.

[jocko12]

Obummer will just FART in the wind again.

[GonzoGOP]

I know enough to know what happens when you get an explosion in an ammo magazine. This is a cargo ship, not an armored warship where the ammo is safely down below the water line. An RPG, designed to punch through a tank, is going to go through her hull like a knife through butter. Normally not a problem on a ship that large, but if it hits ammo then you are probably going to loose the ship.

Look at history. Arizona took a hit in a magazine and sank in seconds, Hood took a mag hit and was literally blown into three peaces, and those were heavily armored warships built to a higher structural requirements than a merchantman. Look up the Port Chicago fire to see what happens when an ammo ship explodes, and those were ships carrying only a fraction of the tonnage of volatiles that a modern sea lift ship can carry. There is a reason the Navy used to name their ammo ships after volcanoes.

[ScottinVA]

“The USNS Lewis and Clark was chased for about an hour on Wednesday morning by two pirates skiffs”

And the national humiliation continues... thanks, zer0.

[GonzoGOP]

True, but those were RPGs fired from a building at a hovering blackhawk. Hitting a moving target from a bobbing boat with an unguided rocket isn't likely to be effective. Heck you could even stay out of range and just keep the pirates spotted until a proper warship shows up to deal with the problem.

[ScottinVA]

“In Obama’s military we use diplomacy, have tea with pirate leaders, appeal to moderate pirate groups, consult the UN Security Council and our European allies, appease the pirates with offers of aid and send human shields to protect the pirates from harm.”

And give them $20 million to come and settle in the U.S.

[1rudeboy]

Nonethless, one should keep the “Golden BB Theory” in mind.

[GingisK]

Heck one RPG in to the jet fuel or ammo magazine and the ship goes away with a big flash/bang.

I think those chances to bee VERY REMOTE. The RPG would detonate against the hull, spraying hot gas and some metal inside. Of course, the sabot would enter like a bat out of hell. The hot gas would dissipate between the hull and the cargo holds. The sabot is not explosive. Military explosives will not usually detonate unless set off with a primer. Small arms ammo doesn't blow all to hell just because a projectile passes through it.

Military fuels are chosen and compounded in order to be immune to kenetic impact.

[Onelifetogive]

Thats embarrassing. Thats like watching my son run from a schoolhouse bully. Just sad.

I'd say more like watching your middle school son run from a kindergarten bully...

[EQAndyBuzz]

The captain of the ship probably had a laugh and was saying... a bit closer... closer... dang it.

[School of Rational Thought]

Don’t U.S Navy ships carry weapons, including small arms? They ran from these slugs?

They cannot return fire without approval many layers thick. It is up to the lawyers apparently.

[Fast Moving Angel]

I’m beginning to think more and more that Gen. Petraeus should be our next president.

[Francis McClobber]

1. Generally, the holds that ammunition are stored in are in the center of the ship either at, or below the waterline. Penetrating all the ballast tanks and voids from the ship’s skin would be difficult.

2. Modern ships learned from disasters. Holds where ammunition is stored have vents that allow the pressure concussion to escape, saving the integrity of the ship’s hull.

3. Comparing the explosive power of an RPG to a torpedo or bomb is kind of silly. I don’t think an RPG would have done the same damage to the Arizona as the torpedos did.

[ArrogantBustard]

I agree that it's disturbing.

Pirates should see the Stars & Stripes, and immediately go to whatever passes for "flank speed" ... away.

I'm not disturbed that USNS Lewis and Clark simply beat feet. She's not a warship, and shouldn't be expected to perform like one. And that's where I start to agree with you. She bloody well should have an appropriate escort, close enough to do some good. Whether that takes the form of heavier arms aboard, armed aircraft aboard, external air support (manned, unmanned, or both), a warship, or something else I'll happily leave to the real experts. But the current situation seems inadequate.

This is to take nothing away from the current crew of USNS L&C. They handled their actual situation correctly.

[Non-Sequitur]

Don’t U.S Navy ships carry weapons, including small arms? They ran from these slugs?

It was a sealift command ship - an auxiliary that is crewed by civilians. They aren't armed.

[Tallguy]

Heck one RPG in to the jet fuel or ammo magazine and the ship goes away with a big flash/bang.

... and the pirates who fired the RPG would get creamed by the shockwave. The secondary explosion would ruin their whole day. The 'Skinnies' aren't too smart.

[stbdside]

USNS ships have civilan crews, though some carry military detachments on board.

[reagan_fanatic]

The small arms fire fell well short of the U.S. ship which speeded up to evade the skiffs.

Not to nitpick, but shouldn't the term be 'sped up'?

Oh, and any ship that plys the waters off Somolia should automatically be armed, no if, ands or buts about it.

[r9etb]

Freepers overreacting...what a shocker! :)

The Keyboard Kommandos gots a navy now!

[Little Ray]

No offense, but you don't ram boats full of pirates if you can get away. There is no point in taking a hit from an RPG or risking running afoul of some insane law against shooting back at pirates when you can evade them as this ship did handily.

It would be NICE if the ship had some deck guns and MGs on the bulwarks, and could use them at will to kill pirates, but as I said, there are probably laws against it, and as another pointed, the White House is probably micro-managing the RoEs for pirate encounters.