WW, that's a photo of Project Baker, the second Operation Crossroads Bikini Atoll test and which involved an underwater detonation.

Surprisingly the Prinz Eugen, which being used as a weapons effect test item, survived the explosion despite being only 2000 yards from the wepaon. This was the second test wich the Prinz Eugen had survived, the first being Project Able, a low-level atmospheric test at Bikini Atoll, the ship being only 1200 yards from ground zero..... She later sank under tow on the way to Kwajalein a year later.

So would blowing pirate boats away with bombs even work?

And for all those who were once 'involved in certain activities' and might have wondered what SUPA stood for, it was 'SUpport for Project Able'!

No doubt an air burst would work better. I just like the picture of boats and a bloody big bomb.

UK:
The Piracy Act 1837 (7 Will 4 & 1 Vict c 88) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It abolished the death penalty for most offences of piracy, but created a new offence often known as piracy with violence, which was punishable with death. This offence still exists in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland, but is no longer punishable by death in either country. Piracy Act 1837 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

US: In the United States, criminal prosecution of piracy is authorized in the U.S. Constitution, Art. I Sec. 8 cl. 10:
The Congress shall have Power ... To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
Title 18 U.S.C. § 1651 states:
Whoever, on the high seas, commits the crime of piracy as defined by the law of nations, and is afterwards brought into or found in the United States, shall be imprisoned for life.

It's not justice in either country, apparently.

Have the UK actually taken any pirates back to the UK for prosecution
or have they handed them over to other countries ?

I believe the US have taken a few back, I can remember at least one.

Can't we let he Russian's deal with them. Reputedly a choice between a short trip on a boat or a long trip to gulag, no questions asked.

Pirates, only way to treat them is on the end of a yardarm, but must miss all that delicate electronic equipment.

Regards

Air pig

What about keelhauling them ?:O

It's known as justice IF the pirate has been tried in court prior to execution, otherwise it's generally referred to as 'state sanctioned murder' to execute without trial.

Just being picky, like, but you must trust politicians a damn sight more than I do if you are willing to let them sanction execution without trial.

Question for those who know the law.

The US sent in SEALS to shoot the 3 prates holding a US Citizen hostage.
Now the US would tell anyone who questioned it to nick off and MYOB
but where does this fall legally considering it was in international waters.

Justified on the basis of terrorism because they were holding a hostage ?

What about if they stormed a ship being held by pirates and the crew
were being held hostage but were locked in the safe room ?

PTT:

I'm glad that's cleared up then... Just two countries in the world... It should fix all the visa/passport and currency issues.. :rolleyes:

Davejb:

Justice has absolutely nothing to do with courts of law.

As to politicians... You'll notice they appear on my list... :ok:

If we tried pirates in the UK they would claim asylum when they came out of prison, send them to the US, know how to sentence people, fifty years in a supermax. The Russians have set them free into a boat that suddenly blew up, must have been poor fuel or poor seamanship obviously. :E

Regards

Air pig

Sorry Chum.....it is justice if they are shot out of hand upon being apprehended. Otherwise it is a Criminal Justice Proceeding if it involves a Court. Law is administered in Court....not Justice....that is done on the spot.

Thread last year about Russians and pirates in military aircrew. Sort can't link.

Regards

Air pig

I would release all captured Pirates, some little village in the middle of land locked Afghanistan would seem an ideal place.

As it happens, I believe we actually ARE doing something about pirates - see here.

However, to suggest that a broad based UK Maritime Patrol capability is better served by a CN-235 is slightly naive. The whole point of a maritime capability is to cover a whole range of scenarios - anti-piracy or as it might be called 'Tapestry/ASUW' may be flavour of the month right now, but what do you use next week when the Iranians send some subs out to cause trouble somewhere else?

But hey! Different budget, who cares? Lets get back to Aircrew Rations.

The captain's name is FLTLT Blunt?
:D

The Royal Navy is deploying the Maritime patrol fleet have seen footage of Merlin and Lynx on patrol of somalia.

The best way to combat pirates is to deny them access to their chosen prey, i.e. fend them off with the necessary deployment of ordnance.

Their is no need to re-invent the wheel - there is a century-old method known to all and sundry in dealing with piracy, it just needs to be employed properly and without the involvement of tax-payer funded human rights lawyers.

The situation off the Somali coast is a straightforward case of deploying maritime force, but only when vessels are involved that fly the flag of the countries providing naval protection. We certainly do not need to protect any ships flying flags of convenience.

thunderbird 7,

Possibly naive, but certainly more affordable than your alternative....which proved so expensive that it no longer exists, and might possibly never do so again!

Also a reasonable capability in a variety of roles:


CN-235 Persuader





About those rations..... the rot set in many years ago when DCS disappeared!

Rosco 22,

I do hope that it wasn't just the BBC that got his name wrong, it would be nice if someone on the crew has stitched him up.

Can't wait for old 'Blunty' to return safe and sound so we can present him with his new name patch, coffee mug etc etc.

Priceless!