Somali piracy thread

[dave lukins]

Somali pirates aboard a ship carrying tanks and weapons that they have seized say they are surrounded by at least three foreign warships.

One is the American US destroyer USS Howard, another is from Russia but the nationality of the third is not clear.

But one of the pirates said they were not afraid and had enough food to withstand a siege.

Eat this high explosive sandwich then:))

[snapper]

Russia has been helping the Iranian nuclear programme no? Therefore this ship coming from China in not likely to contain any nuclear or radio-active material. There are many substances, some of which are completely innocuous, which when a little sea water leaks in can be harmful; there an old Joseph Conrad story of a freighter carrying coal, the coal get damp; sulphur dioxide... this starts a fire etc...The ship is metal and end up a smoking but floating wreck with the crew reduced to eating each other.

What is interesting, as Mr Lukins says, is the various offers...

[Jay]

I'm speechless. What tactics do the pirates use to take hostage of a ship this size?

[Ray]

Snapper is possibly closer to the reality.

But then I am no scientist.

All I say is that I have no regrets that the pirates have gone sick or dead!

[Skywatcher]

Thats a pretty easy answer. They claim they will die instead of giving up the ship, well lets indulge them. Well since she has ammo aboard i'm pretty certain a jdam would send her to the bottom pretty quickly. Pirates and all. Let the host, whos armament was aboard worry about recouping the losses. There is no way they will allow them to unload any of the tanks. One a futher note they dont have the equipment necessary to unload them so pretty much shes a sittiing duck with a huge 4 country bulls eye on her.;)

I seriously doubt that the pirates could actually do anything with the tanks. It certainly won't upset the balance of power in East Africa.

[Walking Dead]

Somali Coast Standoff - A What-if Scenario

FOXNews.com - Somali Pirates Vow 'Fight to the Death' Over Ukrainian Ship - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News

Somali pirates who seized a Ukrainian freighter carrying Russian-made tanks are threatening a fight to the death as U.S. ships and aircraft surround them and a Russian warship heads to join the scene.

A U.S. destroyer and submarine, as well as other foreign vessels, are surrounding the Faina, which was carrying 33 Russian-built T-72 tanks when it was seized by the pirates on Thursday.

The guided missile destroyer USS Howard anchored in the area Sunday, making sure that the pirates did not remove the tanks, ammunition and other heavy weapons from the ship, which was anchored off the coast. On Monday, more U.S. naval ships and several helicopters arrived off the Horn of Africa.

Russian warship the Neustrashimy, or Intrepid, is also en route to the area, the AFP reported.

The pirates have demanded a $20 million ransom.

"What we are awaiting eagerly is the $20 million — nothing less, nothing more," one of the pirates, Sugule Ali, told a local news agency by satellite phone. "We are not afraid of their presence; that will not make us abandon the ship or refrain from asking the money."

Ali added that his crew of pirates were "not afraid" of the foreign warships.


He said the mission now is to make sure this military hardware does not end up in the wrong hands.

"It's the type of ammo that could be 'repurposed' and used in ways other than those for which it was originally designed," the official said.

The U.S. fears the armaments onboard the Ukrainian vessel may end up with Al Qaeda-linked Islamic insurgents who have been fighting the shaky U.N.-backed Somali transitional government since late 2006.

"We maintain a vigilant watch over the ship and we will remain on station while negotiations between the pirates and the shipping company are going on," Christensen told The Associated Press.

One crew member died in the hijacking of the vessel, a death Ali said was "natural," and not of gunshots and violence, Australia's Herald Sun newspaper reported.

Christensen did not specify whether the arms were intended for the Khartoum-based Sudanese government, or southern Sudan, which was granted a degree of autonomy under a 2005 peace deal that also guaranteed the oil-rich region a referendum on full independence in 2011.

The U.N. has imposed an arms embargo on weapons headed to Sudan's Darfur conflict zone, but the ban does not cover other weapons sales to the Khartoum government or the southern Sudan's autonomous government.

Kenyan officials on Monday declined to discuss the destination of the weapons. Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Valentyn Mandriyevsky said the ministry was not dealing in weapons trade and didn't know where the cargo was bound.

A spokesman for Ukraine's arms trader, Ukrspetexport, had no immediate comment.

Western intelligence reports a few days ago said the ultimate destination was Sudan and that Kenya was only the transshipment point, said one Western official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing classified material. He said the issue became confused after Kenyan leaders had publicly referred to the tanks as their own.

Christensen said an unspecified number of destroyers and cruisers have joined the San Diego-based USS destroyer Howard within a 10-mile radius of the Faina.

"The safety of the ship's crew and cargo is a paramount concern to us," Christensen said, adding additional warships and helicopters were deployed to prevent the weapons from falling "into the wrong hands."

There have been 24 reported attacks in Somalia this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center. Last year, U.S. naval helicopters fired on pirate skiffs tied to a hijacked Japanese tanker carrying 30,000 tons of benzene after they feared that pirates might try to use it as a floating bomb in a middle eastern oil port.

Seizing ships has become an important source of income for pirates in Somalia, which is riven between rival clan-based warlords since they overthrew a socialist dictator in 1991.

My question is strictly hypothetical regarding this real-life unfolding scenario.

We have the following Russian vessels heading to, and US ships already present in, the AO.

Russia:

1) Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great) (Kirov-class) guided missile destroyer
2) Neustrashimyi missile frigate
3) Support ships and submarines - unknown

United States:

1) USS Howard (Arleigh-Burke class destroyer)
2) Uncpecified number of cruisers and destroyers off the coast (big variable IMO)
3) Support ships and submarines - unspecified

Just wanted some opinions, although there is not that much information on the current OOB, what could the outcome be, given the current known forces if a naval confrontation occured between the Russians and the US.

I know this is an unlikely scenario, and I am usually not the one to start "VS" threads but, given the close proximity of the US and Russian ships in the regions, I can't help but ask - what if?! Maybe will make for an educating thread.

Only thing is, I could not find more info, which may render this question useless and subject to much speculation. Please feel free to update the information!

We are all pretty familiar with Kirov and Arleigh-Burke class. Here is some info on Neustrashimyi.

Neustrashimyy ('Yastreb') multirole frigate (1 ship)
(Project 1154.0)

Displacement: 4,250 tons full load
Dimensions: 129.63 x 15.6 x 8.09 meters/425.3 x 51.2 x 26.5 feet
Propulsion: COGAG: 2 M70 cruise gas turbines, 20,000 shp, 2 M90 boost gas turbines, 37,000 shp; 2 shafts, 57,000 shp, 30+ knots
Crew: 210
Radar: MR-760 Fregat-MA/Top Plate 3-D air search
Sonar: Zvezda-1 suite with MGK-345 Bronza/Ox Yoke hull mounted LF, Ox Tail LF VDS
Fire Control: MR-352 Pozitiv/Cross Dome SSM targeting, MR-360 Podkat/Cross Sword SAM control
EW: Vympel-R2 suite with Foot Ball intercept, Half Hat-B intercept, Cage Flask intercept, Bell Squat jammer, 2 PK-16 decoy RL, 8 PK-10 decoy RK
Aviation: aft helicopter deck and hangar for 1 Ka-26/26/27 series helicopter
Armament: provision for 8 Kh-35/SS-N-25 Uran/Switchblade SSM, 4 Kinzhal VLS systems (32 9M-330/SA-N-9 Gauntlet SAM), 1 100mm/70cal DP, 2 CADS-N-1/Kortik CIWS systems (64 9M-311/SA-N-11 Grison SAM; 1 dual 30 mm CIWS per mount (4 CIWS guns total)), 6 21 inch torpedo tubes (12 torpedoes and/or RPK-6/SS-N-16 Vodopod/Stallion ASROC)
Concept/Program: A new, modern, relatively heavily armed multirole frigate design. Primarily intended as an ASW ship, but provision for modern SSMs allows ASuW role; the SSMs, however, were not fitted at completion, probably due to funding problems. Design incorporates some stealth features. Completed 1989 but not commissioned until 1993. Originally meant as a successor to the much smaller (1000 ton) 'Grisha' class, but the design grew and they have essentially become successors to the 'Krivak' line. Only one unit completed; two others started but scrapped incomplete.

Classification: Probably Storozkevoy Korabl' (SKR); Patrol Ship.

Builders: Yantar Zavod 820, Kaliningrad, Russia.

Source: Haze Gray & Underway: World Navies Today

[dave lukins]

I'm speechless. What tactics do the pirates use to take hostage of a ship this size?

Threaten to blow holes all over the place with RPGs is the usual one.:(

[Dreadnought]

I seriously doubt that the pirates could actually do anything with the tanks. It certainly won't upset the balance of power in East Africa.

Agreed Skywatch, But sinking her would send a much better message to future pirates of what will be the outcome of their future endevors.

[Parihaka]

$7million? Where the hell is James Bond when you need him....

[gunnut]

Dang. Sounds like something out of a Clive Cussler novel.

I thought it was a pretty good begining of a zombie movie or an X-files episode.

[mweber24]

Its not about the tanks, it is about the hostages. How many do you want to have killed? Who has the best chance to get them back alive? Who will take responsibility if they are killed?

I know what the US Navy could do, but it is not a US flagged ship or US citizens, so we are constrained in our response.

I am very interested to see what the Russians will do, if anything.

[TopHatter]

My question is strictly hypothetical regarding this real-life unfolding scenario.

We have the following Russian vessels heading to, and US ships already present in, the AO.

Russia:

1) Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great) (Kirov-class) guided missile destroyer

Just to clarify, you are saying that Pyotr Velikiy is heading for Somalia in your scenario only, correct?

Overkill, pure and simple. There are already 3-4 NATO warships on the scene, plus whenever Neustrashimyy arrives.

The only additional forces that could be of any use would be an ESG. There's simply no need for additional warships in the area, except to prevent additional hijackings and certainly no need for a massive battlecruiser like the Pyotr Velikiy

[pate]

If the crew of the ship were aware that they were shipping radioactive materials, they could know to stay away from where it is being stored. As long as the containers that are holding the material aren't damaged there is little risk of the radiation spreading. Remember it doesn't take much (I think six inches of dirt?) to provide a barrier to radiation, so even if the general area of the ship where the stuff is being stored is irradiated, there is not much danger to the crew. Now if the pirates, being unaware of the nature of the cargo were to go down there and mess around trying to break into the containers... I know if I was crewing the ship I'd be laughing up my sleeve at them and telling them to go for it...

That is assuming it IS indeed something radioactive in the ship... Interesting to see how this turns out.

[Mobbme]

Will there be a possibilty of the Russians working with the Americans to bombard the dham somalian pirates?

How would the world react if we (americans + allies) destroyed the Pirates ships, ports, etc?? Like total annihilation.

[Walking Dead]

Just to clarify, you are saying that Pyotr Velikiy is heading for Somalia in your scenario only, correct?

Overkill, pure and simple. There are already 3-4 NATO warships on the scene, plus whenever Neustrashimyy arrives.

The only additional forces that could be of any use would be an ESG. There's simply no need for additional warships in the area, except to prevent additional hijackings and certainly no need for a massive battlecruiser like the Pyotr Velikiy

According to the news, PtG is already on its way there with less than 72 hours ETA.

I was thinking what would happen if the US ships all of a sudden had a stand-off with the Russians, and it has escalated into an all out naval battle. Given the assets in the area (with some speculation) - how do you see the events unfolding?