Chuck Hill:

Fair enough. Other nominations would make for more interesting discussion, but let’s start with this one.

In broad and general terms I agree. CDR Salamander makes some salient points at his blog this morning (20 April).

One key point is that we provide convoys for US Flag shippiing. I do not agree we are under any obligation to provide a free utility for every ship in the world.

The Devil (as usual) will be in the details.

Naval Armed Guard Dets are my preference for ship security. The Marines are busy. MA’s with a few GM’s for weapons maintenence should do fine.

There already is a supply of experienced senior Petty Officers and an existing organization which is routinely used to provide Dets for MSC vessels when their route makes it appropriate.

As I have stated before, in my opinion the Gurkas are as good as it gets as far as mercenaries go. Remember it takes an act of Congress to get one more US Navy sailor, so ship security forces in the (commercial ship) convoy may wind up being mercs.

Patrol boats without UNREP capability, especially refueling at sea, may prove troublesome and of marginal utility in practice.

Anything smaller than 150′ may well not have adequate seakeeping/endurance to keep up with a series of 14 knot convoys in the open sea. They may start out fine, the trick is keeping them on the line.

Don’t forget a SIMA or a really capable Tender, because Patrol Boats on convoy duty will accumlate wear and damage at a far higher rate than coastal patrol and response duty. Boxer handlled some challenges which cropped up in her high speed transit to the scene last week, and she’s a big ship with a big engineering dept.
Patrol Boats inherently have less depth on the bench.

The mothball fleet may be an option to obtain a Tender, if you staff it up and fund it so it can bootstrap its own material condition. You have to reserve some capability for the tender to repair itself; otherwise the shoemaker may wind up the worst shod man in town.

Tenders are easier, diplomatically, because they can keep a lower profile than a a few acres of enclosed waterfront real estate with guards, perimeters, signs, industrial work, and utilities. It’s best to keep the lightest possible footprint.

Security on the water side of the patrol boat piers should be substantial, and well integrated with the local forces. It’s their harbor.

How well you negotiate the Status of Forces Agreement, and a good working relationship with local security and military will be critical to succcess. Language training for the logistic base’s people pays big dividends, especially security, port services and supply’s expediting and pier operations folks.

Boats aren’t the answer, just a stopgap. But they can help until enough ships are ready. Use the time well to prepare the base.

Throw away capability in haste, regret at leisure, at great expense. Not that the “Political Masters” ever want to hear that.

I also think a Naval Armed Guard is the most cost effective immediate answer, be it Marines, Navy or Coast Guard, but if we wanted to set up a convoy system, this is where the “thousand ship navy” comes in. In addtion to the NATO countries,Egypt, South Africa, Japan, and India, even the Chinese and Rusians, might offer to help.

There would be a lot of things to work out, but it could work. The World War II convoy system involved lots of different navies and it worked. Ship riders from the Somali government could be helpful so that we could seize vessels under their authority. The Somali ship riders could ultimately morph into a Somali Coast Guard.

We have to think about the end game. What are we working toward, and how will be get from here to there. Hopefully this will not become just one more of many commitments that drags on with no end in sight. So punish the pirates, but also help the Somali’s regain control of their fisheries resouce so that they can feed themselves.

And yes this should not be exclusively our responsibility.

Chuck Hill:

Protecting US flag merchant shipping from pirates is a routine duty of the US Navy. Maintaining a navy that can do that and the other routine tasks of a navy is a Constitutional duty of the Congress. They need to repair decay and decline, now.

Let other nations protect their shipping, and, should they so choose, cooperate with us when it is to our mutual advantage.
The “1000 Ship Navy” in my opinion, does not and never will exist.
As we see before our eyes off east Africa.

Let flags of convenience be assisted and protected, at our convenience. Let the shipowners who fly them be charged a fee for service, a cost plus fee.

The Somoli pirate situation can be corrected, in 10 or 15 years.
Somolia’s situation? 10 or 15 decades.

And count us OUT. Leave Tar Babies for Brer Fox and Brer Bear.

MR. H:

actually the choir does not sing until several things happen.

first, you sir, tap the podium twice with your baton, then point it at the fat lady. finally with a broad full extension of the right arm in a sweeping motion you start the song. the first three words being halilulia, halilulia, HAAALIIIILUUULIA.

nuff said.

C

To clearify (if I remember correctly) it was like the patrol boat was riding a sea painter like a ship’s boat.

PK:

Mr Hayball was my dad. I’m just Hayball. No offense meant and none taken. Thanks.

I’ll try keep in closer compliance with COMNAVCHOIRRULE’s SOP.
Thanks for the tip.

Why not have a Predator on the sea concept? An unmanned boat that can hunt for weeks at a time. Would cost about $5 million and dozens could be ready in a year. Base them out of a mothership or a nearby friendly port. 100 of them would be cheaper then a single LCS with Helicopter and crew…