A sword drawn at sea, should a Marine be wielding it?

[Hitman2/3]

I'm actually surprised that more shipping companies and or countries haven't opted for contractors. 8 to 10 trained shooters on a cargo ship could handle almost any rag tag group of pirates. I would also think that the bill would be well under what a company would have to pay in cargo, and lives even over the long term. Just a thought.

 

[CBTech]

I'm actually surprised that more shipping companies and or countries haven't opted for contractors. 8 to 10 trained shooters on a cargo ship could handle almost any rag tag group of pirates. I would also think that the bill would be well under what a company would have to pay in cargo, and lives even over the long term. Just a thought.

I would do it on the cheap too. Put me on a boat for 80K a year, I'll provide my small arms, they need to come up with the MK-19 and Ma Deuce. Oh yeah, they would also need to supply the bbq grill and 1 year supply of beef and Coors.

All this pirate shit has a really easy military answer; SBT 12,20, and some good ol' hate. Maybe we could remind the liberals of thier favorite guy, JFK, and his role with PT 109.

 

[Teufel]

I have learned a lot about the Marine Corp reading this. It sounds like the MEU's would be able to make a huge difference on the High Seas with this huge issue around Piracy! Seems they are the best equiped to be Anti-Pirates!!!

I have wondered why a country (not necessarily the USA) didn't put some Marine type Combat troops into the theater and provide some ship based air support then pre-position platoons on a few high target cargo vessels! Then have a rapid reaction force readily on hand to lend support. I don't think we are using the Navy or Marine ships that much in Afghanistan or Iraq, right?

Now go kick some Pirate A_S!!!

Thanks for the education folks!

That's pretty much what a MEU provides. The problem is when we are dealing with an opposed boarding/ IHR, the US will generally want someone a little more high speed/specialized to do the job.

 

[Teufel]

I'm actually surprised that more shipping companies and or countries haven't opted for contractors. 8 to 10 trained shooters on a cargo ship could handle almost any rag tag group of pirates. I would also think that the bill would be well under what a company would have to pay in cargo, and lives even over the long term. Just a thought.

The ships don't want to escalate the violence. Right now it's a pretty "painless" business transaction. The pirates show up, the crew gives up the ship, the pirates wait for payment and give back the ship. If the crew resists, the pirates will take a much more aggressive stance and probably kill the crew, and still hold the cargo for ransom.

 

[7point62]

I'm actually surprised that more shipping companies and or countries haven't opted for contractors. 8 to 10 trained shooters on a cargo ship could handle almost any rag tag group of pirates...

x2 but I'd bet 2 to 3 trained shooters with the proper weapons would suffice, to make it even more cost effective.

I'm biased, but I think the MEUs are a brilliant concept, the raison d'etre of the Corps. The MEU is what makes us Marines. The MEU is what makes us different. It keeps our toes webbed, our feet in the water. With all due respect to MARSOC, its mission seems redundant of the special operations units already in existence from other branches. I'm not saying Marines are not needed in SOCOM...I'm saying the MEUs better define our unique capabilities from the other branches.

(I almost had my ears ripped off on an MEU liberty in San Juan. Now that was unique )

 

[SCCO_Marine]

I have wondered why a country (not necessarily the USA) didn't put some Marine type Combat troops.

I'm actually surprised that more shipping companies and or countries haven't opted for contractors. 8 to 10 trained shooters on a cargo ship could handle almost any rag tag group of pirates. I would also think that the bill would be well under what a company would have to pay in cargo, and lives even over the long term. Just a thought.

We did in early '03. Small Craft sent a 45man Det along w/ Kilo 3/8 to FAST Det 5th Fleet Bahrain to break into 15man teams led by E-5/Sgts to provide a Physical Sec. on civilian ships carrying DOD cargo thru the Suez, HOA, & the Strait of Hormuz.

Its was very effective but labor intensive (logistically) & you can't guard every ship.

Before entering port you have to break done, store the weapons, & provide arrangements to disembark your security team to be "basically guarded" by the port nation prior to entering their waters until the ships business is done or the sec. detail is flown out.

It was much cheaper for the Shipping Co.'s to pay to insure the crew & cargo. The potential for incidence w/a sec. crew is high & Int'l Shipping Laws a very tricky.

 

[SCCO_Marine]

It is much cheaper for the Shipping Co.'s to pay to insure the crew & cargo. The potential for incidence w/a sec. crew is high & Int'l Shipping Laws are very tricky.

But IMO 2 military options I've heard that have potential but are still some ways out are:

1) Targeted raids fr/ an Amphibious Platform like the MEU, even if its just guys Lasing Airstrikes, they're to comfortable in their little pirate villages.

You could park a MEU off the coast & run fully supported mission after mission up & down that coast.

These guys are not extremist & not dedicated to any cause, for them its just easy money. Make hurt, just alittle, they'll switch to another illegal trade. They're making a living in the bubble caused by the US's full attention focused on the GWOT.



2) Would be something Navy RADM Victor Guillory proposed at the Surface Navy Association luncheon back in March. That the USMC train & assign Rifle Plts in the mission of Non-Compliant/Hostile VBSS.

Now granted he's proposing this as a future mission as the USMC's (SC MAGTF) & USN's Global Fleet Station (GFS) concepts come on line & come together.

He proposes Dispersing Rifle Co's attached to LCS's to assign one Plt per Comp. as the VBSS platoon.

B/c the LCS has the speed & stamina to chase down any pirate skiff there's no real need for the logistical burden of helo's. Only the investment in the E-RHIB for boarding which he proposes the Navy pay for.