Pirates Singled Out Americans in Ship Attack Off Nigeria, Official Says

[GCoyote]

Oct. 24, 2013
By LUIS MARTINEZ, DANA HUGHES, JOSH MARGOLIN and LEE FERRAN

The attack occurred during the early daylight hours today just inside international waters. The unknown number of assailants damaged the communications and navigation equipment on the ship as they departed with their captives, the American captain and chief engineer, possibly an effort to delay notification to authorities, the official said.

more http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/pirate...ry?id=20668855

[GCoyote]

By David Wogan | October 26, 2013 |

In a 2012 report (free PDF), the RAND Corporation concludes that the U.S. Air Force would be more effective to combating Nigerian piracy than naval forces:

"This growing investment in offshore petroleum production provides an opportunity for the U.S. Air Force to contribute to improved regional energy security. Its primary contribution would be to partner with the air force of Nigeria, the region’s largest oil exporter, to build its capacity to secure the oil-producing infrastructure from attack. Specifically, we investigated capabilities that would deter or, if necessary, defeat attacks on oil-producing installations by providing a rapid response capability to interdict the perpetrators."

more - http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/...irate-attacks/

[Pruitt]

The problem with getting the US Air Force involved would be its aircraft are probably too fast to hit small targets like a Pirate rigid inflatable. An A-10 would probably be just fast enough to get there and slow enough to hit the target. The Air Force will probably send F-16's instead.

Pruitt

[GCoyote]

I was thinking more of drones. Even using unarmed drones to spot possible pirates for intercept would be a great help to Nigeria's security forces without direct US intervention.

[Pruitt]

That is certainly a target rich environment with all the fishing boats and oilfield support vessels to hide among. The Nigerians would probably insist on an armed version and having their own pilots. Then the next thing we know the presidential limo is getting taken out by a Hellfire...

Pruitt

[Gixxer86g]

Originally Posted by GCoyote

I was thinking more of drones. Even using unarmed drones to spot possible pirates for intercept would be a great help to Nigeria's security forces without direct US intervention.

This makes sense.

But it really needs to go further. Especially on the Horn, Nigeria and now Venezuela. Killing the bees one by one is highly inefficient and doomed to failure. We've got to destroy the hives.

I'm thinking B-52.