Blogger: why not privatize RN/RM anti-pirate ops?

[The Bread Guy]

.... A few years ago I was at the Sunderland Airshow where the RN demonstrated what they got up to in the Gulf. It started with a few pretend bad guys in a speedboat; a Merlin flew overhead and issued a warning. In the scenario they were fired on so returned to the nearby T23 frigate that launched two Ribs with a RM boarding party. Simultaneously (in the scenario) a Sea King was despatched and the marines on board this, along with the ones on the Ribs, apprehended the bad guys whilst the T23 kept station. All good fun but I remember at the time thinking that it meant we would need to have an amphibious/support ship (for the Sea King) as well as a T23 in the area; surely there was a better way of dealing with pirates?

It does not seem to make sense to have very expensive assets chasing down pirates in speed boats and with this in mind I was attracted to the idea of a two tier fleet, one part optimised for high end warfare and one part for lower end operations. I am not going to go into the size and composition of the high end fleet in any detail except to state that I think it will be broadly right to meet our high end needs for the next decade or so. Firstly, there is no clear and present existential state to state threat to the UK or its overseas territories (and I include certain islands here also). Secondly, the geo political threat is or has already moved away from Europe, and the best contribution the UK can offer would be a fully worked up and functional Carrier and Amphibious battle group (even better would be two), and TLAM equipped SSNs. This means our wars in the future for the next decade or so will be wars of choice, interventions of one form or another, strategic raiding or the like if you prefer.

(....)

So in the absence of additional funding or the pirates retiring, how do we get anti-pirate capabilities in sufficient numbers and relevant capability on station?

How about we get Government out of the solution all together and privatise it?

What if a private sector company came along who could raise the funding to provide the ships, aircraft and personnel? What if the companies whose ships were under threat of being hijacked were content to pay a fee for this service, and this service worked, why wouldn’t HMG want to let them get on with it and leave this problem to the ‘market’?

(....)

Think Defence blog, 24 Jan 13

 

[Michael OLeary]

Under this proposal, the new Royal Privateers be getting Letters of Marque to hunt those damnable pirates.

What if the companies whose ships were under threat of being hijacked were content to pay a fee for this service, and this service worked, why wouldn’t HMG want to let them get on with it and leave this problem to the ‘market’?

"Please help us, pirates are attacking."
"Sorry sir, you're not on our client list."
"But .. but .. I'll pay you if you fight them off."
"Please log in to our website and deposit your retainer with an approved credit card and we'll start sailing in your direction. By the way, contracting us while under attack requires payment of a premium charge ..."

 

[The Bread Guy]

Under this proposal, the new Royal Privateers be getting Letters of Marque to hunt those damnable pirates.

"Please help us, pirates are attacking."
"Sorry sir, you're not on our client list."
"But .. but .. I'll pay you if you fight them off."
"Please log in to our website and deposit your retainer with an approved credit card and we'll start sailing in your direction. By the way, contracting us while under attack requires payment of a premium charge ..."

Or even worse....

"Thank you for calling NoMorePirates.com - your call is important to us - please hold for the next available operator...."

 

[Journeyman]

"Thank you for calling NoMorePirates.com - your call is important to us - please hold for the next available operator...."

The horror......pirate attacks and having to listen to elevator music covers of Celine Dion while on hold.

 

[Loachman]

Much fun could be had designing a suitably-annoying voice-mail system.

 

[Scott]

Celine Dion LRAD?

 

[Halifax Tar]

Why not go back to the days of armed merchant ships or Q ships ? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q-ship

The shipping company could either hire a security company or train its own pers, as I don't think the RN would be willing to post RN pers on board to operate 20 or 40mm guns.

Lure the pirates in close enough then engage with a disappearing 40mm bofors  =  Bad day for pirates

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearing_gun

I know, I know its all fantastical but damn that would be a great job!

 

[Privateer]

I think that there is another thread dealing with this topic.

There is a company, Typhon, being set up to offer this very service.  Some links:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/making-the-pirates-walk-the-plank/story-e6freon6-1226548353529

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/glencore-chief-simon-murray-launches-private-navy-to-combat-somali-pirate-threat/story-fnb64oi6-1226548351212