“The President is authorized to employ so many of the public armed vessels as in his judgment the service may require, with suitable instructions to the commanders thereof, in protecting the merchant vessels of the United States and their crews from piratical aggressions and depredations.
The President is authorized to instruct the commanders of the public armed vessels of the United States to subdue, seize, take, and send into any port of the United States, any armed vessel or boat, or any vessel or boat, the crew whereof shall be armed, and which shall have attempted or committed any piratical aggression, search, restraint, depredation, or seizure, upon any vessel of the United States, or of the citizens thereof, or upon any other vessel; and also to retake any vessel of the United States, or its citizens, which may have been unlawfully captured upon the high seas.”
– Title 33 USC, CH 7 – Regulations for the suppression of piracy
US and British naval forces in the Horn of Africa have been monitoring the status of several merchant ships seized by Somali pirates over the last few months, always remaining hull-up and in radio comms with the captured vessels and in one case opening fire on a pirate skiff being towed behind a captured ship. Although the ships have often been seized just outside Somali territorial waters, the pirates have generally navigated the captured ships inshore.
Ordinarily a ship within 12nm of a sovereign nation becomes the responsibility of the law enforcement arm of that country and may not be pursued by the armed forces of another state. Since Somalia is not so much a “failed state” as much as it is a fully-functioning hellhole, the niceties have been sometimes been omitted.
Recently US forces have escalated the pressure on the pirates by cutting off their re-supply from shore.
Press release from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet Public Affairs
ARABIAN SEA
Cap’n,
There are a few questions that rise to the surface in this thread. First, what sort of intelligence (if any) are the pirates obtaining to select their targets? Second, what size of ships make up the average victim? Third, what is taken from the victims? Lastly, are they pirates or privateers under goverment sponsorship?
Granted, Somalia is little better than a hell hole, and the amount of traffic in and around the Horn, there are all sorts of potential targets. I note no US Flag vessels have been attacked as yet. OurNavy exists to keep the sea lines of communication (and commerce) free and piracy (contrary to Hollywood) is criminal at best.
I submit, this sort of action is best addressed by Littoral Combat ships and not amphibs (although their Marines certainly make pirates nervous) or even Arleigh Burke class destroyers.
Actually, I think it would be well served by some inexpensive diesel powered Destroyer Escort (DE) type vessel with new but less than full up C4I gear. There could be hundreds of these little ships built for very little outlay ( in Government terms). Weaponry could be improved versions of the old 5 inch 54 caliber guns – perhaps even the new navalized 155 but, with dumb ammo. Most importantly, there could be enough of them to actually be there when needed.
Being there First is better than getting there next
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the – Web Reconnaissance for 12/12/2007 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
What will the Law of the Sea Treaty do to our ability to interdict pirates and aid innocent vessels?
Babs-
Nothing, because we aren’t going to sign it!
Seriously, AFAIK UNCLOS doesn’t change any of the existing international maritime law on that particular subject.