Pirate skiff vs Navy frigate = :)

NotaSuv

WTF attacking a Navy frigate with a skiff....these are some brass ball pirates or just plain stupid ones


A group of suspected pirates was captured Thursday after attacking a U.S. Navy frigate in the Indian Ocean, according to a statement released by the U.S. Sixth Fleet.

The USS Nicholas reported taking fire from a suspected pirate skiff shortly after midnight local time west of the Seychelles, the statement said. The Nicholas quickly returned fire and began pursuing the skiff, which was eventually disabled. A boarding team from the Nicholas subsequently captured and detained three people, the statement said.

The team discovered ammunition and several cans of fuel aboard the skiff, which was later sunk by the Nicholas.

Two more suspected pirates were captured on a confiscated "mother ship," the statement said. The detainees will "remain in U.S. custody on board Nicholas until a determination is made regarding their disposition," it said.

The Nicholas, based in Norfolk, Virginia, is part of the U.S. military's Africa Command.

The waters off the coast of Somalia -- the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean -- have been plagued by Somali pirates over the last couple of years. To crack down on piracy, the international community has adopted measures including naval escorts and expanded monitoring.

Last week, one pirate was killed and several others were detained after a private security team thwarted an attack against a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship, the MV Almezaan. A European Union naval force was called in to assist the vessel.

Knucklehead

Yeah.....just plain stupid.

exalted512

It was midnight, they probably had no idea what kind of ship it was. I say capture em, drive a few miles and, um, drop them off.
-Cody

shack

exalted512 wrote: »

It was midnight, they probably had no idea what kind of ship it was. I say capture em, drive a few miles and, um, drop them off.
-Cody

Why waste the time, effort and fuel to capture and move them. Just fire off a few well placed rounds in the hulls of the skiffs and mother ships...then move on to the next target. Wanna be a pirate...the live by the sea...die by the sea.

exalted512

shack wrote: »

Why waste the time, effort and fuel to capture and move them. Just fire off a few well placed rounds in the hulls of the skiffs and mother ships...then move on to the next target. Wanna be a pirate...the live by the sea...die by the sea.

Just afraid they might radio and get help....or might not be able to find the mother ship.

Otherwise, yeah go for it. But I think making them walk the plank would be funnier/more ironic.
-Cody

NotaSuv

Zero wrote: »

Man, I didn't know that the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates were still in service. I thought that most were sold to India and China.

Most from the mid 80's on are still in service, 7-8 in the NRF, and 20-21 still in active service, all have been retrofitted more than once I'm sure...

Jstas

Garcia class is old stuff. Most of those are gone. OHPs are guided missile frigates and still serviceable for several roles in protecting shipping.

From Navy Fact Sheet:

Frigates fulfill a Protection of Shipping (POS) mission as Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys.

They aren't going to get replaced though. The Littoral Combat Ships and the Coast Guard's new NSC's (National Security Cutters) are supposed to be handling the roles for the future as the FFG's are decom'ed.

Info on Frigates:
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1300&ct=4

BTW, FFG 7 U.S.S. Oliver Hazard Perry as well as FFGs 9-16, 19-27, 30, 31, & 34 have all been decom'ed it seems.

For those that don't know, a typical frigate has the following compliments:

Propulsion: Two General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines; 1 shaft, 41,000 shaft horsepower total.

Length: 445 feet (133.5 meters); 453 feet (135.9 meters) with LAMPS III modification.

Beam: 45 feet (13.5 meters).

Displacement: 4,100 tons (4,165.80 metric tons) full load.

Speed: 29 plus knots (33.4+ miles per hour).

Crew: 17 Officers, 198 Enlisted.

Armament:
- Six MK-46 torpedoes(from two triple mounts);
- One 76 mm (3-inch)/62 caliber MK 75 rapid fire gun;
- One Phalanx close-in-weapons system.

Aircraft:
- Two SH-60 (LAMPS III)
or
- One SH-2 (Lamps Mk-I) in FFG 9-19, 30, 31.

First ship was commissioned and deployed in 1977. They really aren't that old and only those with the most obsolete systems are being decom'ed. The rest that still integrate with the AEGIS system's fleet management capabilities will be in service for at least another 15 years. Probably more like 25-30.