Thread: Somali Pirates hijack second US vessel

Originally Posted by dirtydog

because of those 4 pirates,

OH Hell, I didn't know there were only 4 pirates,, well guess it is over then and all those war ships sent from around the world can go home as all the pirates have been killed, well 3 dead and that last one captured..

Thats what DD said..

Good going guys.

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Cos the Yanks aint gonna worry whose wedding those drones go to

A risk she'll have to take.



The poor innocent groom might be getting a bang he wasn't expecting on his wedding day.

Originally Posted by Norton

Weapon used was likely a modified M14 the Seals have adapted as a light sniper rifle. Effective range 500 meters.

Might have been a modified M14 - even though that weapon platform is rather old, it is still a solid option:

M14 | NavySEALs.com - Experience the SEAL Edge

Although the M14 was phased out in the 1960’s, M14 variants are still used in the U.S. military. Navy SEALs started using modified M14s as sniper rifles as early as Vietnam. They have used them in Afghanistan and Iraq, primarily as designated marksman and sniper rifles. Navy SEALs keep the M14 in inventory due to its excellent accuracy, effectiveness at long range, and strong takedown capabilities of the 7.62mm round.

I think they probably used an M11:
MK11 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) | NavySEALs.com - Experience the SEAL Edge

The US Navy MK11 Mod 0 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) is based on the highly-accurate SR-25 automatic rifle. It was originally conceived and constructed to meet a requirement placed by the Navy SEALs. The MK11 is a highly accurate and durable, precision semiautomatic sniper rifle that operates like an M16 or M4A1, and can deliver a 7.62mm round out to 1,500 yards. Due to its high degree of accuracy, (.5 inch MOA), it is has won acceptance by U.S. Special Operations Forces as one of the finest semiautomatic sniper rifles in the world.

The MK11 system consists of the rifle, 20 round box magazines, QD scope rings, Leupold Vari-X Mil-dot riflescope, Harris swivel-base bipod on a Knight's mount, QD sound suppressor, and back up iron sights. The free-floating 20 inch barrel and free-floating Rail Accessory System allow for extreme accuracy. This weapon fires the 7.62 NATO round, and is not capable of fully automatic fire.

I doubt they resorted to the M82A1:
M82A1 Heavy Sniper Rifle | NavySEALs.com - Experience the SEAL Edge

The M82A1 is a high-powered heavy sniper rifle used primarily against targets like radar cabins, trucks, and parked aircraft. It is known as the “Light Fifty” for its .50 caliber BMG (12.7 mm) load. The U.S. Military purchased significant numbers of M82A1’s during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Kuwait and Iraq. It’s known as the SASR — "Special Applications Scoped Rifle", and is used as an anti-materiel weapon and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) tool. This short-recoil, semi-automatic rifle has a long effective range, (record shot of 2,500 meters) and high energy. It also uses highly-effective ammunition, and can easily penetrate Type IV body armor, almost all building materials, hard armors, and level 8 ballistic glass (the strongest available). The Navy SEALs used the M82A1 extensively in Somalia in 1993 against enemy “technical” vehicles filled with armed outlaws.

Spike TV just landed a deal to film with the SEAL in this area:
The Associated Press: Spike seals deal for show on Navy pirate hunters

NEW YORK (AP) — Barely a day after the daring rescue of an American sea captain, the Spike television network has a deal in place for a show about U.S. Navy pirate hunters.

Producers had been talking to the Navy about it for months. But the deal was sealed last week while the standoff with pirates who had taken Capt. Richard Phillips hostage was ongoing.

Spike television says it hopes to make a series showing the everyday work of the Navy as it patrols the dangerous waters off the African coast. No air date has been set.

44 Blue Productions is making the series for Spike. That action-oriented company has made "The True Story of Black Hawk Down" and the MSNBC prison series "Lockup."

No tactics, techniques or procedures.
No numbers, names or locations.

We'll all just have to draw on our collective and extensive movie knowledge to solve the puzzle.

Originally Posted by Bugs

I doubt they resorted to the M82A1:

For good reason. Too difficult to operate off a rolling ship. Also, one round would likely destroy the whole boat.

This artical says three shots - three dead pirates:
Snipers had one improbable chance - Somalia- msnbc.com

Three Navy SEALs aboard the Bainbridge waited quietly in the darkness.

Three shots rang out from the SEALs.

Three pirates were dead or rapidly dying.

I'd say there was probably more than three SEAL's on board, but it seems only three took shots.


But they still will not disclose the weapons:

Officials declined to discuss the equipment used by the SEALs on the destroyer.

I think it was a new Buck Rogers type laser gun that was developed with technology recovered at Roswell.

Originally Posted by dirtydog

^You could be right, I don't think these Americans play fair

Playing fair means not hijacking ships and asking for ransom. Once you do one of those things, "fair" is not an issue.

If you're small-minded and desperate for more parity in the world, nothing is beyond the realm of unfair.

two phrases thankfully missing from this incident:

"bring it on"

"dead or alive"

Funny how the English can spend so much effort complaining about Americans but cannot provide one boat to patrolling these waters.

"The U.S.-led Combined Task Force 151 normally has about a dozen vessels on station off Somalia, but this number varies considerably. Its flagship, the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, can carry up to 42 aircraft and about 1,800 Marines.

_The NATO flotilla, known as Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, comprises 5 ships.

_Portuguese frigate NRP Corte Real, flotilla flagship;

-Canadian frigate HMCS Winnipeg;

-Dutch frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provincien;

-Spanish frigate ESPS Blas de Lezo;

-The frigate USS Halyburton.

_The European Union task force consists of 5 vessels:

-Spanish frigate SPS Numancia, the task force flagship;

-Spanish fleet tanker SPS Marquis de la Ensenada;

-French frigate FS Floreal;

-German supply ship FGS Spessart;

-German frigate Rheinland-Pfalz. "

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

Funny how the English can spend so much effort complaining about Americans but cannot provide one boat to patrolling these waters.

The ship(s) provided by UK are not part of those groups

^ It's easier to complain about Americans then actually have to do something. The Europeans are also terrified to upset anyone, because all these types of Africans, and many other types of undesirable international elements, are living all over Europe. So now they want to come off as humanitarians, or highly cultured types, and are always looking to criticise the US, for what they ain't got the ball to do. Always ignoring their own history which is the opposite of the shiny clean image they like to portrait.

^^
Action is not their strong suit.
They're really, really good at sitting around wringing their hands and whining, though.

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Originally Posted by tuktukdriver

Funny how the English can spend so much effort complaining about Americans but cannot provide one boat to patrolling these waters.

The ship(s) provided by UK are not part of those groups

UK ships are part of two different combines task forces:

The first (CTF-150) was formed following 9/11 and was initially formed in regard to terrorist activity in the Horn of Africa region, but has done work related to the pirates in the area:
Combined Task Force 150 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Countries presently contributing to CTF-150 include Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other nations who have participated include Australia, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. The command of the task force rotates among the different participating navies, with commands usually lasting between four and six months. The task force usually comprises 14 or 15 vessels. CTF-150 is coordinated with, and incorporates vessels of, the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, under the Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander/Commander US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain.

The second formed recently (Jan '09) CTF-151, that is specifically targeted at the pirates:
Combined Task Force 151 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Initially, CTF-151 consisted of the San Antonio, USS Mahan (DDG-72), and HMS Portland (F79), with additional warships expected to join this force. Twenty countries were expected to contribute to the force, including Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the UK and the USA, all of which have already pledged participation.

^
Thanks
I stand corrected