Military AircrewA forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here.
The EU is closed between Christmas and New Year, but the Frankfurter Allgemeine (FAZ) newspaper reports that the EU Political and Security Committee on Dec. 20 tasked the commander of Operation Atalanta to rework the operational plan for the counter-piracy mission so that Somali pirates can be combated ashore.
This would involve changing the rules of engagement so that pirate vessels and installations can be attacked on shore and vessel protection teams can operate more autonomously from EU warships that up until now have had to be nearby. The European External Action Service has reportedly been tasked to reach agreement with the Somali authorities to support these changes, which they already do, according to the FAZ.
Participation of German forces in more aggressive operations would require a change in their mandate, which was renewed this month. This participation currently consists of three frigates with four Sea Lynx helicopters on board and three P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft. One of the frigates will be relieved next spring by the supply ship Berlin, from which a Sea King can operate, offering greater range than the Sea Lynx.
The FAZ reports that the British and French wish to conduct amphibious operations against pirates is opposed by the German Free Democrats, the junior partner in the German government, who fear that pirates could threaten reprisals against captured crews and civilian casualties.
On Dec. 21, the Italian tanker Savina Caylyn with a crew of 18 became the latest ship to be captured by Somali pirates.
The USMC needs a Mission....to justify their Amphibious Assault Capability.
Sounds tailor made to me!
What happens when the Pirates start killing off the hostages?
Can they be convinced that would be a very bad thing to do....thus prevent that from happening? If not...are Western Nations willing to pay in blood for that decision to get really aggressive against the Pirates long after the time they should have done so?
Hang on to your hats....the media will go bonkers when the first hostages are killed and those that oppose the decision to take aggressive action....never minding they are the cause of the situation extant where the Pirates have been allowed to take hundreds of hostages without any action from the Western powers.
I knew a Hungarian officer who had been OC of a unit that used Stukas - he had flown the one with the big cannons shortly before he switched to 190s. He well remembered the shuddering as they were fired - almost shaking the a/c to pieces, he recalled. He got a total of 5 tanks - his immediate superior was Rudel, a difficult act to follow! His stories of those days held me spellbound - there was a lot of courage and gallantry on that front. Those Hungarian pilots were not Nazis but fighting with the Germans to stop the Bolsheviks from taking their country - alas we know what happened to Hungary.
The tank busting Stukas would be great for the anti-pirate role, although the cannon may be overkill against anything the pirates have.
In reality a Douglas Skyraider (any left at Davis Monthan?) on a small carrier would do the job nicely, or maybe something even cheaper and lighter (Cessna O-2?). The OV-10 Bronco was intended to be carrier capable, so maybe that's why Boeing were considering reintroducing it? Shame the Luftwaffe got rid of theirs in 1990...
You only need to go back to 66BC and study Pompey's campaign against the Cilician pirates to see how it can be done given the will and the resources.
Basically, he cleared the Med of pirates in less than 90 days. His regnum extended inland some 50 km and he also resettled some of the pirates recognising that they had been driven to the profession.
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The OV-10 Bronco was intended to be carrier capable, so maybe that's why Boeing were considering reintroducing it? Shame the Luftwaffe got rid of theirs in 1990...
The Philippine Air Force still operate the OV-10 (ex Thai, I believe) with some upgrades. Often see them flying around here.
May I tactfully suggest that it might have been that man's advisers that in my personal opinion made him the leader he was? Great orator, a man's man, someone that could listen and make correct decisions based on information supplied by those he respected. He gets my vote.
Iran. We all seem to dismiss the influence modern US submarines now bring to the playground! Some of these evil, undetectable submersible cigar tubes are now capable of carrying in excess of 150 yes one hundred and fifty Tomahawk missiles per submarine!! These are figures in the public domain as is the number of boats capable of carrying this number which I will respectfully suggest far exceed numbers we in Great Britain can only dream of purchasing for our own very much depleted fleet.
I accept that once the cigars have been allocated, the shop will have to close until Eddie Stobart can deliver a fresh batch of these very expensive cohiba, but all those hundreds of missiles should spoil someone's day. Then once the dirty deed is done will the road to Damascus or should I say Tripoli be opened? One thousand bomber raid or a one hundred tomahawk raid, is it quality over quantity?
Having said all this, I am still far from convinced we will see this Armageddon any time soon, if 'jaw, jaw' is better than 'war, war' then could the incumbent Presidents, Prime Ministers all talk that proverbial hind leg off the donkey?
Larssnowpharter
<<Pompey's campaign …. Basically, he cleared the Med of pirates in less than 90 days. His regnum extended inland some 50 km and he also resettled some of the pirates recognising that they had been driven to the profession. >> As a spokesman for the Somali pirates claimed – with the disruption to the country they had been unable to protect fisheries which foreign boats plundered. I seem to recall him suggesting something like that fisheries protection by the “west” could have been a good idea for the long term with some kind of aid in the short term.
or should I say Tripoli 
be opened? One thousand bomber raid or a one hundred tomahawk raid, is it quality over quantity? 
