Yup, got the Chiminea Going.
Monthly Archives: October 2011
UK Ships now to Carry Armed Guards
Somali piracy: Armed guards to protect UK ships
It is up to the flag state of the vessel whether or not armed guards are allowedContinue reading the main story
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Ships sailing under a British flag will be able to carry armed guards to protect them from pirates, the prime minister has announced.
David Cameron says he wants to combat the risks to shipping off the coast of Somalia, where 49 of the world’s 53 hijackings last year took place.
No ship carrying armed security has yet been hijacked, the government claims.
Up to 200 vessels flying the red ensign – the British merchant navy flag – regularly sail close to Somalia.
Officials estimate that about 100 of those would immediately apply for permission to have armed guards.
It is thought many British-registered ships already carry armed guards, taking advantage of a grey area in the law.
Allowing ships to carry armed guards may fall foul of laws in other countries, though. Egypt recently announced that armed guards would not be permitted on ships sailing through the Suez canal.
Shoot to kill?
Mr Cameron said he wanted to legalise armed guards after talks in Australia with Commonwealth leaders from the region over the escalating problem faced in waters off their shores.
But armed guards would only be permitted while passing through dangerous waters, such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Asked if he was comfortable with giving private security operatives the right to “shoot to kill” if necessary, Mr Cameron told BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show: “We have to make choices.
“Frankly, the extent of the hijack and ransom of ships round the Horn of Africa is a complete stain on our world.
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Watch David Cameron’s interview with Andrew Marr on Sunday 30 October 2011 at 09:00 on BBC Two
“The fact that a bunch of pirates in Somalia are managing to hold to ransom the rest of the world and our trading system is a complete insult and the rest of the world needs to come together with much more vigour.”
Peter Cook, director of the Security Association for the Maritime Industry (Sami), said: “We welcome this carefully considered change of policy and we will continue with our accreditation programme to ensure that maritime security guards are of the highest standards.”
He said the vast majority of ships passing through the Gulf of Aden are from “flag states” such as Liberia, Panama and the Bahamas, many of which already allow armed guards.
But Commodore Angus Menzies, from the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, said: “It shifts the problem elsewhere. The pirates just move further and further away as they’re doing already across the Indian Ocean as navy vessels and security vessels get better at stopping the pirates – they just go somewhere else.”
He said he was worried armed guards might enrage pirates who might act more violently towards crews if they overpowered the guards.
David Cameron: ”I want to make sure more of these pirates actually face justice”
Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea every ship is subject to the jurisdiction of the country whose flag it carries.
Ex Navy and Marines
Mr Cook said many armed guards were former Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel, and he added: “With the current redundancies it has provided them with an ideal place to go because their levels of professionalism are very high and they are doing something very worthwhile with their skills.”
Transport Secretary Justine Greening said: “Piracy is a very serious problem and it’s sensible to allow ships to take the appropriate measures to protect their crew and cargo. The use of armed security guards can have a significant impact.
“The UK will allow the use of private armed security guards on our ships in exceptional circumstances and where it is lawful to do so.”
Shadow Foreign Office Minister, John Spellar, said: “This is a welcome move in the right direction and something we have asked the government to look at for some time.
“But it’s important it’s implemented properly especially with regards to command and control procedures and the rules of engagement so we will be asking the government for further details this week.”
High velocity rifles
Under the plans the home secretary will be given the power to license armed guards for ships.
Mr Cook said most armed guards would be using high velocity rifles, which were used to “deter pirates” from attempting to board a ship.
Use of armed guards would be restricted to voyages through particular waters in affected areasHe confirmed that no vessel with armed guards had been taken over by pirates, and said in several cases guards had fired shots at pirates.
Maritime risk consultants Haymarket said the introduction of armed guards would save the British shipping and insurance industries millions of pounds.
John Bisseru, a maritime risk specialist at Haymarket, said: “The facts are that as soon as a vessel is taken it’s generally a negotiation from there on in. We have even seen the absurd situation where even the threat of a vessel being boarded has been enough for negotiations to begin. Prevention is the way forward and qualified and trained armed guards will be significant step.”
France and Spain provide so-called military vessel protection detachments, while Italy is planning a similar measure.
In July the Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham said limited military resources meant it was not possible to free up Royal Marines for a ship protection role.
Other counter-piracy measures being taken include offering support from Treasury officials to Kenya to help its officials track down pirates’ assets.
Mr Cameron also said help could be given to countries such as the Seychelles and Mauritius who were acting to bring pirates to court and imprison them.
Another Narco Sub Bites the Dust
Mobile, Ala.-based Coast Guard Cutter assists interdiction of semi-submersible vessel in Caribbean Sea
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| MIAMI — Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Cypress on scene above a sunken self-propelled semi-submersible vessel as members of the FBI Laboratory’s Technical Dive Team, located at Quantico, Va., recover approximately seven tons of cocaine Oct. 19, 2011. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk interdicted the SPSS in the Western Caribbean Sea, Sept. 30, 2011, before its crew sank the vessel. U.S. Coast Guard photo. |
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| MIAMI — A sunken self-propelled semi-submersible vessel lies on the floor of the Western Caribbean Sea, Oct. 19, 2011. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk interdicted the SPSS in the Western Caribbean Sea, Sept. 30, 2011, before its crew sank the vessel. Photo courtesy of the FBI Laboratory’s Technical Dive Team located at Quantico, Va. |
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| MIAMI — A member of the FBI Laboratory’s Technical Dive Team located at Quantico, Va., recovers bales of cocaine from a sunken self-propelled semi-submersible vessel in the Western Caribbean Sea, Oct. 19, 2011. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk interdicted the SPSS in the Western Caribbean Sea, Sept. 30, 2011, before its crew sank the vessel. U.S. Coast Guard photo. |
MIAMI — The Coast Guard Cutter Cypress, a sea-going buoy tender, homeported in Mobile, Ala., assisted the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk, a medium-endurance cutter homeported in Key West, Fla.,with the interdiction and search for a sunken self-propelled semi-submersible vessel, commonly referred to as a drug sub, in the Western Caribbean Sea, Sept. 30, 2011.
The Cypress commenced searching for the sunken SPSS, Oct. 17. Coast Guard crews and the FBI Laboratory’s Technical Dive Team, located at Quantico, Va., conducted multiple search patterns. The SPSS was located by the dive crew, Oct. 19.
The total interdiction is approximately seven tons and valued at nearly $180 million wholesale. The crew of the Mohawk stopped two SPSS vessels in 13 days. Used regularly to transport illegal narcotics in the Eastern Pacific, this interdiction is only the third Coast Guard interdiction of an SPSS in the Caribbean. The Coast Guard’s first interdiction of a drug smuggling, SPSS vessel in the Western Caribbean Sea happened July 13.
The crew of a maritime patrol aircraft deployed in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South operations in the Caribbean spotted a suspicious vessel and notified the Mohawk crew of the location.
The Mohawk-based Coast Guard helicopter crew and pursuit boatcrew interdicted the SPSS and detained its crew. The SPSS sank during the interdiction along with the contraband.
“The interdiction of a third SPSS in the Caribbean brings to a close an extremely successful fiscal year for the Coast Guard here in Southeast U.S. and Caribbean,” said Rear Adm. Bill Baumgartner, commander of the 7th Coast Guard District. “Working with our interagency and international partners, we detained 98 smugglers and prevented 60,064 pounds of cocaine and 4,412 pounds of marijuana with a combined street value of $727 million from reaching our streets. Although we have been finding highly creative and innovative ways to make our counter drug mission successful, we continued to be challenged by the maintenance requirements and limited capabilities of our aging fleet of larger ships. One of the greatest limitations to our success is the availability of large cutters to patrol the transit zones and new cutters, designed to patrol far offshore in District Seven, will ensure we continue to detect threats at greater distances from U.S. shores and meet the demands of our robust counter-drug mission.”
Built in the jungles and remote areas of South America, the typical SPSS is less than 100 feet in length, with four to five crewmembers and carries up to 10 metric tons of illicit cargo for distances up to 5,000 miles. Drug traffickers design SPSS vessels to be difficult to spot and rapidly sink when they detect law enforcement, thereby making contraband recovery difficult.
“This is the second self-propelled semi-submersibles case for this crew and I am extremely proud we were able to stop millions of dollars of cocaine from reaching the streets of America,” said Cmdr. Mark Fedor, Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk’s commanding officer. “They are a significant threat to our nation and throughout Central and South America because they can smuggle massive amounts of narcotics as well as other illicit goods or people, and we will continue to be out here and stand a vigilant watch.”
The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Customs and Border Protection and partner nation aircraft and vessel crews work together to conduct counter-drug patrols in the Caribbean.
Editor’s Note: For more information on the drug sub interdiction operations, contact the Seventh Coast Guard District External Affairs Office at (305) 415-6696.
The Libyan Revolution by the Numbers
From the Institute for the Study of War
http://www.understandingwar.org/press-media/pressrelease/libya-numbers
Washington, D.C. – As NATO prepares to end its mission in Libya on Monday, the numbers tell the story of the conflict that ended Muammar Qaddafi’s 42-year reign. In the 252 days since the Day of Rage, the Libyan landscape has been reshaped.
The Institute for the Study of War began tracking the Libyan revolution on a daily basis in March. ISW has published the first three parts of the in-depth four-part series “ The Libyan Revolution,” and the last part will cover the conflict up to Qaddafi’s death on Oct. 20. To learn more about the revolution, check out our daily and weekly updates and video timeline.
- 85 percent of Libyans are too young to remember a leader other than Qaddafi.
- Feb. 17, the Day of Rage, marked the beginning of Qaddafi’s violent fight against protesters, killing 150 people within three days.
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 was adopted on March 17, and the first military strikes by the U.S. and other coalition forces were conducted on March 19. On Oct. 31, the mission will have lasted for 226 days (32 weeks).
- Initially, the coalition enforcing the UN SC Res. 1973 consisted of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Norway, Qatar, Spain, the United Kingdom and the U.S.
- NATO’s Operation Unified Protector began supervising the arms embargo on March 23 and had assumed full command by April 4. By Oct. 31 it will have been involved in the intervention for 222 days with 18 participating states.
- The mission cost the Department of Defense $1.1 billion. The British Ministry of Defense estimates its cost at $480 million, and France expects costs of $420 million to $490 million resulting from the mission in Libya.
- NATO’s mission conducted 26,323 sorties, including 9,658 strike sorties.
- NATO has attacked 5,900 targets, including more than 400 artillery or rocket launchers and more than 600 tanks or armored vehicles.
- In order to enforce the arms embargo, NATO has hailed 3,124 vessels, boarded 296 boats and issued 11 denials.
- The National Transitional Council (NTC) held its first meeting on March 5, declaring “that it is the sole representative of all Libya.” As of Oct. 20, 100 UN member countries formally recognize the NTC.
- Before the war Libya produced 1.6 million barrels of oil per day (bpd). This level isn’t expected to be reached again before 2013 as it had fallen down to 60,000 bpd during the revolution.
- Internationally, $150 billion in Libyan assets have been frozen, including $37 billion the U.S. has begun to thaw.
- Qaddafi’s personal wealth was estimated to have reached $200 billion, which would easily put him on top of Forbes’ rich list.
- During his reign Qaddafi amassed approximately 20,000 anti-air missiles that may still be loose in Libya.
- In late October, the Libyan Transitional National Council estimated a total of 25,000 dead and 60,000 wounded.
For media inquiries, please contact Tricia Miller at press@understandingwar.org or (202) 293-5550 x210.
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The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy research organization. ISW advances an informed understanding of military affairs through reliable research, trusted analysis, and innovative education. We are committed to improving the nation’s ability to execute military operations and respond to emerging threats in order to achieve U.S. strategic objectives.
Update on Yesterdays Lost Sub Find
Wreck in PNG likely to be a Japanese submarine
The uncharted wreck found yesterday, off Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, is likely to be a World War II Japanese submarine.
Underwater vision taken by the Australian Minehunter, HMAS Gascoyne shows the wreck of a submarine, 55 meters below the surface in Simpson Harbour. The wreck is partially buried in the harbour floor but remains upright.
There had been initial media speculation that this may have been the wreck of HMAS AE 1 – Australia’s first submarine, lost in waters east of Rabaul during World War I in September 1914.
The imagery obtained by HMAS Gascoyne was examined by RAN historical staff, who concluded that the wreck is not AE 1 but a Japanese submarine.
The Royal Australian Navy will now work with Japanese authorities to assist in determining the wreck’s identity.
HMAS Gascoyne was taking part in Operation RENDER SAFE – the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) in the Pacific. This year, RENDER SAFE is being conducted in Rabaul over the period 18 October to 4 November.
Media contact: Defence Media Operations 02 6127 1999
Possible Unknown Sub Wreck found in Pacific
The Royal Australian Navy is investigating an uncharted wreck, believed to be a submarine, which was found during the conduct of Operation RENDER SAFE 2011 off Rabaul in Papua New Guinea, on 26 October 2011.
The wreck was discovered in a joint activity by the New Zealand Navy survey ship HMNZS Resolution and the Australian Minehunter HMAS Gascoyne.
The wreck is located in Simpson Harbour, which was an area known for submarine operations during World War II.
As with any wreck discoveries, immediate identification is not possible and work will continue over the coming days to identify both the type and the nationality of the vessel.
Once further details are ascertained, the relevant country authorities will be advised.
Authorities from the USA, Japan, PNG and New Zealand have been informed of the discovery
Operation RENDER SAFE is the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to enduring explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) support to the nations of the south-west Pacific, being conducted over the period 18 October to 4 November.
US Army Ranger, Killed on his 14th Combat Deployment
Sgt. First Class Kristoffer B. Domeij:
29 years of age and 14 tours of duty, 3 Bronze stars.
Iron Clad hero.
Rest in Peace sir.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/army-ranger-helped-rescue-jessica-lynch-dies-14th/story?id=14811227
A typical Ranger deployment is about 3 months and it mentions he spent a total 48 months in country, Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s a lot of time. Especally when you consider that on average, a Ranger battalion will conduct between 400 to 500 missions during a combat deployment.
Vietnam tours were longer, a full year IIRC, and there were guys that served multiple tours. I am sure some guys spent 4 years in country. Nonetheless, it is a reminder of just how long these so-called low-intensity conflicts are. There could also be some regular Army or Marines who have 48 combined months in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some units have spent a lot of time there on multiple deployments.
Holy crap.
Death by Mis-Adventure
So apparently, Amy Winehouse drank herself to death. She had 416mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood and 350mg is fatal.
The Coroner is calling it “death by misadventure”
Aren’t most deaths classifiable as ‘death by misadventure’?
The Navy Is Doubling its Carriers
Back during the Lehman Navy of the Regan era, the 600-ship navy built around an incredible 15-Carrier Battle Groups was the pipe-dream that came very very close by 1989.
The Navy, down to about 240-ish ships now, is lamenting that they Only have 11 of the largest warships (Nimitz and Enterprise class CVNs) ever built and in the next few years this may shrink to 9 as the Enterprise is looking at retirement after 50-years of service and another carrier is down for an 18-month refueling period.
However, the Navy may soon be able to add 8 new carriers at the stroke of a pen, with another 2-12 on the drawing board.
The USS Wasp (remember the WWII Aircraft carrier of the same name?) LHD-8, officially an amphibious warfare ship, is returning to port after spending 18-days with two early F-35 Lightning aircraft on board.
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=63444
The first F-35B landed on WASP’s flight deck Oct. 3, beginning an 18-day test period for the aircraft. During the testing, two F-35B Marine Corps test jets (BF-2 and BF-4) accomplished vertical landings and short take-offs under various conditions.
While underway, the world’s first supersonic short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) fighter logged more than 28 hours of flight time and completed 72 short take-offs and 72 vertical landings. Wasp crew members worked around the clock with pilots, engineers, mechanics and a wide-array of aeronautical professionals, both military and civilian to meet the mission of the F-35B sea trials.
While the US Navy had for the past twenty years had almost a dozen LHA/LHD hulls to carry out the task of “Sea Control” with a fleet of 190 Marine AV8 Harriers, the Harrier by and large is a daylight only, subsonic strike aircraft, not a dogfighter. The vaunted 3rd Generation F-35 is supposed to be everything the Harrier was not in a V/STOL platform.
The fact that the Wasp is the same size as the new French De Gaulle class carrier, as well as the same size as the WWII-era Essex class carriers that served in the US Navy until 1989 (see the USS Lexington) in one role or another is a valid point. With 2-3 squadrons of F35’s aboard along with a detachment of SH-60s as plane guards the 8 LHDs on the USNs payroll can earn their keep as emergency aircraft carriers if things ever get hot in the China Sea…. Looks like the Navy finally may have 15-carrier (or more) battlegroups in the works…
Submarine, Lost 60 years found
The Dutch Ministry of Defense has announced that one of theier submarines, lost for sixty years with more than 30 souls aboard, has been found.
The K 16 (Hr.Ms. KXVI) was a Dutch submarine of 771 tons displacement launched in 1933. She was had a top speed of 17 knots surfaced and 9 knots submerged and a range of 5600 km surfaced at 11 knots. She carried a complement of 38 and was armed with one 3.5 inch gun; two 40 mm anti-aircraft guns; four 21 inch bow torpedo tubes; two 21 inch stern torpedo tubes and two deck mounted torpedo tubes. Her war began in December 7th when the Japanese attacked the Dutch East Indies.
(Dutch K-type sub on the cover of Newsweek 1942)
Her war turned hot on Christmas Eve. At 0310Z/24, 10 transports, 2 destroyers, and one seaplane carrier were reported off Tanjong Sipang, and Sarawak. Dutch submarine K 16 was ordered to attack after sunset. At 1220Z/24, she saw what appeared to be a Japanese destroyer being sunk by gunfire from an unseen opponent. This incident has not been explained, but Japanese may well have sunk one of their own ships. At 1600Z/24, she herself sank another destroyer of the AMAGIRI class near Tanjong Sipang. She is also reported to have sank the 1000-ton Japanese destroyer SAGIRI near Sarawak itself time unknown.
She then left patrol off North West Borneo for Sourabaya.
Her victory record was short-lived as the K 16 was sunk by Japanese submarine I-166, in the sea near Borneo on December 25, 1941 (Christmas Day).
Her location is finally known as she was just found. Sport divers found the wreck in deep water near Borneo in October 2011
Rest in Peace K16, Rust in vrede Matrozen
I. De onderzeeboot die na 70 jaar is teruggevonden