PLA-N gets it on. (again)

Pentagon: Chinese Ships Harassed Unarmed Navy Craft in International

On March 4, a Chinese Bureau of Fisheries Patrol vessel used a high-intensity spotlight to illuminate the entire length of the ocean surveillance ship USNS Victorious several times, including its bridge crew. USNS Victorious was conducting lawful military operations in the Yellow Sea, about 125 nautical miles from China's coast. The Chinese ship then crossed Victorious' bow at a range of about 1400 yards in darkness without notice or warning. The following day, a Chinese Y-12 maritime surveillance aircraft conducted 12 fly-bys of Victorious at an altitude of about 400 feet and a range of 500 yards.

On March 5, without notice or warning, a Chinese frigate approached USNS Impeccable and proceeded to cross its bow at a range of approximately 100 yards. This was followed less than two hours later by a Chinese Y-12 aircraft conducting 11 fly-bys of Impeccable at an altitude of 600 feet and a range from 100-300 feet. The frigate then crossed Impeccable's bow yet again, this time at a range of approximately 400-500 yards without rendering courtesy or notice of her intentions.

On March 7, a PRC intelligence collection ship (AGI) challenged USNS Impeccable over bridge-to-bridge radio, calling her operations illegal and directing Impeccable to leave the area or "suffer the consequences."

The Chinese ships involved in the March 8 incident included a Chinese Navy intelligence collection ship (AGI), a Bureau of Maritime Fisheries Patrol Vessel, a State Oceanographic Administration patrol vessel, and two small Chinese-flagged trawlers.

U.S. Navy ships and aircraft routinely operate in international waters around the world, and this area is one such location where we operate regularly. Chinese ships and aircraft routinely steam or fly near U.S. Navy ships in this area, however these actions were considerably more aggressive and unprofessional than we have seen, and greatly increase the risk of collision or miscalculation.

Coastal states do not have a right under international law to regulate foreign military activities in the EEZ. The unprofessional maneuvers by Chinese vessels violated the requirement under international law to operate with due regard for the rights and safety of other lawful users of the ocean. We expect Chinese ships to act responsibly and refrain from provocative activities that could lead to miscalculation or a collision at sea, endangering vessels and the lives of U.S. and Chinese mariners.

On March 8, 2009, five Chinese vessels shadowed and aggressively maneuvered in dangerously close proximity to USNS Impeccable, in an apparent coordinated effort to harass the U.S. ocean surveillance ship while it was conducting routine operations in international waters.

The Chinese vessels surrounded USNS Impeccable, two of them closing to within 50 feet, waving Chinese flags and telling Impeccable to leave the area. Because the vessels' intentions were not known, Impeccable sprayed its fire hoses at one of the vessels in order to protect itself. The Chinese crewmembers disrobed to their underwear and continued closing to within 25 feet.

click here for full report.

Ok when PLA-N was conveying its message the nice way USN did not listen and now they are crying tough play.

what happened to the cold poker faced USN of the 70s and 80s, giving back what they were served.

On the PLA-N side of things, sophisticated spy ship (of a nation who's generals call for more stealth planes to deal with China) are stationed around their territory(who knows collecting data on what type of sub surface activity that PLA-N got angry about), PLA-N does everything it can to warn the Amerikhans, they persist (on account of EEZ and what not), as a result PLA-N gets tough.

PLA-N did behave like a rude bully, collecting intelligence in international waters is fair game for all naval forces, the PLA-N does it happily. It should be clear to USN, if it is going to operate such ships around that area, they better be ready to enforce their presence.

T-AGOS 23 Impeccable
Swath-L (Large) Ocean Surveillance Ship

The mission of the T-AGOS 23 Class ships is to collect, process, and transmit acoustic data in support of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS) mission requirements. The ship will be operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) utilizing both civilian and naval personnel to carry out its mission. In short, this vessel is used by the military to track submarines, and is the quietest vessel the government operates, outside of submarines themselves. The unique hull form is one of the most impressive features of this massive 281-foot vessel.

Surveillance ships serve as a stable platform to gather underwater acoustical data. IMPECCABLE was specifically designed to deploy two underwater listening devices called surveillance towed-array sensor system (SURTASS) used to augment the Navy's antisubmarine warfare capability. The SURTASS mission is to gather ocean acoustical data and, through electronic equipment onboard, process and provide rapid transmission of antisubmarine warfare information via satellite to shore stations for evaluation and analysis.

for more information about the ship click here

Scanning for the Ns, eh.

“The existence of the sea means the existence of pirates”

Then

Year	Location		Event
1400-1300 BC	Mediterranean		Lukka sea raiders attack shipping from the coast of Asia Minor
1300-1200BC	Mediterranean		Lukka sea raiders ally with Hittites
1220-1186BC	Eastern Mediterranean		Area controlled by the 'Sea Peoples'
1000-900BC	Mediterranean		Minoans overrun by Dorian Greeks using Cretan cities as pirate bases
700-600BC	Mediterranean		Phoenician and Greek merchants attacked by pirates
500-400BC	Mediterranean		Athenian navy attacks Greek pirate islands Kithnos, Mikonos and the Sporades
200-100BC	Mediterranean		Carthaginian war distracts Rome, pirate communities grow
168BC	Mediterranean		Rome annexes Illyria to curb piracy
67BC	Mediterranean		Anti-pirate campaign by Roman general Pompey the Great eliminates Cilician sea raiders

click here for the complete timeline

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Now
Piracy attacks drop as nations step up patrols

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

Two months into an international anti-piracy campaign off the Somalia coast, the number of attacks against cargo ships is down sharply, senior military and diplomatic officials said Thursday.

Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, commander of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, told the House Armed Services Committee that the Pentagon is looking at the issue of internal strikes and acknowledged that, "ultimately, the solution to the problem of piracy is ashore — in Somalia."

Gortney, however, said the key will be to watch the progress over the next year, to see if the increased patrols, along with new agreements allowing suspected pirates to be prosecuted, will keep the level of attacks low.

On Thursday, the U.S. transferred seven pirates over to Kenyan authorities, who signed an agreement in January with the U.S. and Britain to try piracy suspects. Tanzania has expressed interest in forging a similar agreement, according to Stephen Mull, acting undersecretary of state for international security.

"There will be no lasting solution to the problem of piracy in the Gulf of Aden until Somalia's failed state is addressed," said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, D-Mo. "I fear that the situation on the ground in Somalia will be repeated in other failed states and in states with vast areas of ungoverned territory within their borders."

As many as 17 nations are participating in the increased patrols, and another eight or so are expected to join in the coming months. Gortney noted that officials are working to share information with all of the other navy ships, but some communication is a bit unorthodox.

click here for the complete news report

Pirates are not a new problem and the solutions that we will pursue will not be new either, just like terrorism.

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A bank wanted to safeguard their money vans, they had a lot of trouble with people robbing the vans while they went to deliver money to the ATMs, the irritating part was that the double barrel rifles of the one or two guards who safeguarded the van proved too big for the situation, the robbers were running away with the money in the time it took the guards to swing these huge guns around, or the robbers had their guns pointed at the heads of the guys carrying the money.

A security consultant and a transportation consultant were hired, they came out with some plans, one of them was implemented, the plan was solid, involved 5 guards in every van with shorter pump action shotguns that could load multiple rounds, and training for the guards to walk in a manner that made a attempt to rob the team very difficult nothing happened for a while, till the bank got the bills in their hand and then the same old situation returned.

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If the international community is hoping/waiting for the situation in Somalia to solve itself, well better start building ships exclusively for deployment into that region to ensure a safe route, otherwise most nations will have problem in providing the numbers when the original purpose for building the ships presents itself (i hopped around the net, fighting pirates does not seem to be one).

INS Tabar was recalled after the Mumbai tragedy and rightly so, it could have been tasked with a much greater role in the events that could have followed, which would have actually required the multi million dollar weapons, sensors, hardware and software.

So what can we do, UN tried its hand at peacekeeping in Somalia, i do not see any results, USA and its band of allies tried to influence the events, they do not seem to be doing a good job at it.

If no one is ready to send peace enforcers to Somalia we should start building a international navy to safeguard the seas, they are the only medium through which the unglamorous, every-day necessities that are so important can be transported.

It is the duty of every nation with a Navy to ensure safe passage in their territory, and the duty of the world to ensure that they make dangerous routes safe, especially in this age and time when we depend on these routes for our economic stability.

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On account of Insomnia and nothing to do:

Seventeen nations on a worthless conquest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

eight more are coming, what bout em rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

Aurrr boat was sunk by a ship of thousand tons
A few guns and a rain of lead

naaaah not really good at this.