Not-so Jolly Roger

[chris_gerrib]

So, CNN tells me that a US-flagged merchant ship, the Maersk Alabama, was captured by Somali pirates. This latest attack comes despite 27 ships deployed to the region.

Piracy is the naval equivalent of guerrilla warfare. Defeating it requires either convoy escort, armed merchantmen, or aggressive hunter-killer operations. We're not doing any of the above.

Part of why we're not doing what needs to be done is political. There is a reluctance to just shoot pirates, and merchant ships don't want to arm themselves.

The other part of the problem is that many navies, such as ours, are structured for fleet-on-fleet combat. Looking through Defense Secretary Gates budget proposal, I think some of that is going to change.

Comments

[jetfx.livejournal.com]

And also like guerrilla warfare, defeating it requires eliminating the base of support more than a military effort. Piracy is a symptom of a failed state, and without a stable Somalia, piracy isn't really going to go away.

[sinthrex.livejournal.com]

Seal Team in a couple of CRRC's?

[chris-gerrib.livejournal.com]

Regarding Gate's budget, I was thinking more generally. He's more-or-less scrapping the DD(X) (AKA "USS Dreadnought") and capping the F22 but keeping the LCS.

Now, I'm not a fan of the LCS per se (I think it's undergunned and focuses too much on speed) but in general we need more LCS-type ships. You know - the things we used to call "frigates."

[sinthrex.livejournal.com]

There is some interesting things going on WRT the LCS. Should be interesting to see where the surface pukes guys take this.

Pretty happy that the contract for the next 8 Virginias appears to be intact and the funding for spin-up of the Ohio-replacement program looks intact.

The last is particularly notable because of Gates' cut of a new bomber for the Chair Force. We're rapidly moving toward a nuclear 'diad'.