Somali Pirates: 15-Month High in Pirating?

Reported as Somali Pirate Hijackings Increase to 15-Month High, AKE Says at Bloomberg:

NATO's Map of pirate attacks last 30 days

Somali pirates hijacked 10 ships in March, the most since December 2010, and may attack larger merchant vessels this month, AKE Intelligence said.
**
Somali pirate attacks rose to a record 237 in 2011, with ransoms worth $160 million paid to release 31 hijacked vessels, a One Earth Future Foundation report released Feb. 8 showed. Pirates based in Somalia cost governments and the shipping industry as much as $6.9 billion last year, One Earth estimates.

On the other hand, Reuters reports:

IMB 2012 to date

"PIRACY counter-measures have returned the rate of successful hijackings to pre-2007 levels, a NATO naval officer has told reporters.


Just six ships have been pirated for ransom in the past eight months, from “36 in the preceding eight", Lieutenant Commander Mehmet Elyurek said yesterday aboard the missile frigate Giresun, the Turkish flagship of the force NATO operates off the Horn of Africa, Reuters reported.

The rate of successful hijackings had "almost returned to pre-crisis (2007) levels", added Elyurek, who noted that more merchant ships have turned to armed security guards, razor wire and pirate-pummelling water pumps.
***

They both could be right, though the NATO map of hijackings over the last 3 months only shows 3 hijacked ships, so there is some issue about what counts as a "hijacked ship" and whether NATO is only counting, as indicated in the section I highlighted above, those "pirated for ransom."

Here's what to take from all this - the pirates are still out there and they continue to find ways to expand their search patterns for unprotected ships to hijack.

In looking at the maps, be aware that the NATO red markers are "pirated" vessels and the IMB red markers are "actual attacks."

Strategy in Southeast Asia and Australia: The U.S. Marines Land

An Australian Broadcasting Corporation look at the strategic move of sending in the Marines to the Northern Territory.
A continuation of a 60 year alliance and a message.

ALAN DUPONT, INT. SECURITY STUDIES, UNSW: It's not so much the Marines themselves but it's the symbol - the signal it sends to the region that Australia is - and the United States are working together to meet these common challenges. So I think it's quite an important shift.

UPDATE: Robert Kaplan has a related analysis at Stratfor America's Pacific Logic:

Were the United States not now to turn to the Indo-Pacific, it would risk a multipolar military order arising up alongside an already existent multipolar economic and political order. Multipolar military systems are more unstable than unipolar and bipolar ones because there are more points of interactions and thus more opportunities for miscalculations, as each country seeks to readjust the balance of power in its own favor. U.S. military power in the Indo-Pacific is needed not only to manage the peaceful rise of China but also to stabilize a region witnessing the growth of indigenous civil-military post-industrial complexes.

UPDATE2: Related - a port visit of a couple of U.S. Navy ships reported as Louisville Visits Malaysia During Western Pacific Deployment:

U.S. Navy photo by MCS 1st Class David R. Krigbaum

The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Louisville (SSN 724) arrived in Malaysia April 3 for a visit as part of its deployment to the western Pacific.

Louisville moored alongside USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) to receive tended support for [sic- from?] the submarine tender.

"We anticipate performing a variety of submarine support services for Louisville to ensure all systems are fully functioning and operational when she returns to sea," said Lt. Cmdr. James Hicks, Emory S. Land's production maintenance officer.

***

Measuring more than 360 feet long and weighing more than 6,000 tons when submerged, Louisville is one of the most advanced and stealthiest attack submarines in the world. Louisville uses her stealth, mobility, endurance, and firepower to perform missions in undersea warfare, surface warfare, strike warfare, mine warfare, battlespace preparation including intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, and combat search and rescue.

Somali Pirates and Iran's Massive Navy - Unbelievable!

Well, it really is unbelievable but according to Iran's PressTV ""Iran's Navy successfully stops another piracy take over" after a 36 hour sea battle, etc, etc.

Thousands of Iranian navy men in the Indian ocean.
Commander of Iran’s Navy says currently there are over 11,000 navy men in the Indian ocean to counter piracy attacks.

Admiral Habibollah Sayyari also told Press TV Iran currently has 19 defense Navy vessels in the Indian ocean. and has received the coveted strategic defense award by the “International Maritime Organization” (IMO).

According to the Admiral, in the past three years Iran has escorted over 1500 ships safely in the Indian ocean and has reduced the fighting with pirates from 100 to 44.

I'm sure I lost something in the translation but I have no idea what the last sentence means.

But wait, there's canned video!

As I said - unbelievable!!

UPDATE: In fairness to the admiral and because the reporting is so poor, there probably are 19 warships and close to 11,000 men and women serving in the IO. It's just that they aren't Iranian Navy ships or men (and especially not Iranian women). I also think that the 100 to 44 reduction refers to the overall incidence of pirate attacks in the region.

Your estimates of Iran's role in reducing these attacks may vary.

UPDATE2: No, I have no idea what the IMO "strategic defense award" is or how Iran got it, if it did. But I would be happy to learn about it in the comments.

More information from the Tehran Times:

Speaking at a press conference, Sayyari said that the pirates were captured 3000 kilometers off Iran’s shorelines in the Indian Ocean.

The pirates had attacked an Iran-bound commercial ship, which was carrying 10,000 tons of goods, but Iranian naval forces, in a special operation on March 30 and 31 which lasted 36 hours, managed to foil the attack and capture the pirates, Sayyari explained.

The Navy used the Jamaran destroyer in the operation.

The Jamaran is the first domestically manufactured destroyer, which can carry helicopters and is equipped with torpedoes.

The pirates have been transferred to Iranian soil.

UPDATE3: connected.

UPDATE4: Well, there is another version that reports a ransom was paid.

Ecuador: Another Al Qaeda Enabler?

Interesting post on how Ecaudor's new "open immigration" policy may pose a risk to the U.S. and Canada at "How Ecuador's immigration policy helps al Qaeda" at Shadow Government:

The government of Ecuador has once again crossed the line between irresponsible policies and ideologically driven actions that have created a serious security problem not only for its citizens but also for the entire Western Hemisphere. The disarray created in Ecuador's immigration policy has permitted transnational criminal organizations and terrorist groups -- possibly including al Qaeda -- to potentially use the country as a base of operations with the ultimate objective of harming the United States.
***

While there is no evidence to show that the Correa government established the policy of "open borders" in an effort to attract criminal organizations, that has been the result. On the other hand, there is no evidence of Correa wanting to stem the flow. These examples show how Rafael Correa's Ecuador is becoming a failed state, hosting all sorts of dangerous actors. They also help to understand the context in which various financial, commercial, and energy agreements are being developed by Ecuador with the governments of Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela.

Somali Pirates: Iranian ("Bolivian") Ship Released

Somali pirates release ship after just a week:

Hmm? The enemy of my enemy is ...

Somali pirates have released an Iranian bulk carrier after a week, a British naval official based in Dubai said yesterday.

The MV Eglantine, a Bolivian-flagged ship with 23 crew members was seized on March 26 off the south-western coast of India.

Capture reported here.

UPDATE: Okay - connected. It appears "released" is not quite the right word.

UPDATE2: Well, there is another version that reports a ransom was paid.

Somali Pirates: The Pirates Get a Vote in Counter-Piracy

Strategy Page makes the point that for every announced counter-piracy move there's a counter counter-piracy move, especially when if the pirates are media savvy - as set out in Sea Transportation: Pirates Preparing For The Worst.

Followed to its logical extreme, saying "There is no easy solution to the Somali pirates" is to acknowledge that the real solutions to Somali are hard - - because these answers involve killing people and breaking things.

If the counter-piracy forces are more afraid of bad publicity than they are willing to pay this hard price, then we might as well just bundle up a few million dollars every year and start paying "tribute" to the pirates to buy them off and cut out the pretense of fighting pirates using military force. It would probably prove cheaper in the long run.

Speaking of responses to piracy, if you go here, you can read a presentation by Andrew J. Shapiro, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, to the Center for American Progress on 27 Mar 2012, after a discussion of how piracy was "snowballing" during the administration in office prior to the current one and making a list of the international diplomatic and military efforts set in place (during which time the piracy continued to "snowball"), he hits on a key to the slowing of successful piracy of bigger ships due to the efforts of - well, you can guess - :

However, we must also recognize that even when fully implemented best management practices do not guarantee security from pirates. As a result, we have also supported the maritime industry’s use of additional measures to enhance their security – such as having armed security teams on board. To date, not a single ship with Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel aboard has been pirated. Not one.

These teams serve as a potential game-changer in the effort to counter-piracy. While many expected these teams to be made up of undisciplined “cowboys” that would cause an increase in the violence at sea, from what we have seen so far this has not been the case. We have not seen cases of pitched battles at sea between pirates and armed security personnel. In fact, in most engagements, the situation ends as soon as pirates are aware an armed security team is on board. In most cases, as pirates approach a ship the armed security teams will use flares or loudspeakers to warn the pirates. If the pirates keep coming, they will fire warning shots. That is usually when the interaction ends. Pirates break off the attack and turn their skiffs around and wait for another less protected ship to come by. These teams therefore have served as an effective deterrent.

To his credit, Mr. Shapiro also gets it right on the impact "mother-ships":

This demonstrates how pirates are constantly adapting their tactics in response to international efforts. One example of this is their expanded use of mother-ships – which are themselves pirated ships with hostage crews aboard. These ships launch and re-supply groups of pirates who use smaller, faster boats for attacks. They can carry dozens of pirates and tow many skiffs for multiple simultaneous attacks. This has made pirates more difficult to interdict and more effective at operating during monsoon season, which previously restricted their activities. Mother-ships have extended the pirates’ reach far beyond the Somali Basin. Somali pirates now operate in a total sea space of approximately 2.5 million square nautical miles – an area equivalent to the size of the continental United States. Pirate activity has even extended as far as the waters off the coast of India. This increase makes it difficult for naval or law enforcement ships and other assets to reach the scene of a pirate attack quickly enough to disrupt an ongoing attack. There is just too much water to patrol. (emphasis added)

Well, then he describes one part of the effort to shrink this "water":

Since discovering the use of mother-ships, international navies now seek to identify and interdict mother-ships when possible.

Well, as I have said before "shrink the ocean" available to the pirates by Make the Somali pirates’ sea smaller…. Yes, Somalia has a long coast line, but it is clear that not all that coast is used by pirates - in fact, we have long known the bases from which the majority of pirates operate.

I suspect that knowledge is one of the factors in the EU's announcement that the counter-pirate fight will be taken ashore . . .

Oh, and from the ICC CSS IMB Live Piracy Map, a look at the pirate's efforts so far in 2012 in the Indian Ocean and its tributaries:

 Finally, from the NATO Shipping Center, pirate activity over the last 3 months:

That yellow bar over there in the Gulf of Aden is the "transit lane."

April Fools on Midrats 04/01 5pm

April Fools on Midrats 04/01 by Midrats on Blog Talk Radio, 5pm Eastern:

When all else fails, we fall back on ourselves - this time on April Fool's Day. For what it is worth, there are many foolish things to discuss - the Navy's shipbuilding budget, the U.S. defense budget writ large, fueling the fleet stuff, the SecNav's idea of testing the on-coming watch sections for alcohol and drugs and much, more.

Join us by clicking here. You can call in at (347) 308-8397 and be foolish, too. UPDATE: Well, at the very last minute, CDR Salamander found us a guest, "Guest is film-maker Scott Kesterson;former soldier, Emmy award-winning filmmaker, and now military contractor working for CJ-SOTF. His next fill is, Bards of War (www.bardsofwarfilm.com) this fall," and we had a great interview with him - so, there was an April Fool - me! You can listen to the archived show here or on iTunes.

Somali Pirates and Other Piracy: The ONI Weekly Reports

Good stuff found from the Office of Naval Intelligence (pdfs).

First, a recapture of recent Somali pirate incidents:

Now, the weather-related prediction of good areas of operations for the small boat pirates (red is good for the pirates, bad for the merchant shipping world):

What the pirates are holding and for how long - one crew is going into their 3rd year of captivity:

And then, a brief summary of other piracy events:

Somali Pirates: Send Them Toward Home Without Any Trophies

An EU effort "catches and releases" a Somali pirate team as reported here:

EU Counter Piracy Naval Forces (EUNAVFOR) have tracked down and stopped a group of suspected pirates who were believed to have tried to attack a Hong-Kong flagged tanker approximately 400 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia.

FS Aconit

Luxembourg MPRA (EUNAVFOR photo)

EU Naval Force warship FS Aconit was called to investigate after the tanker came under attack on 26 March 2012. Aconit was directed onto the fleeing pirates by a Luxembourgish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA), which have recently completed 3500 Flights Hours with EUNAVFOR.

The MPRA quickly located the suspects who were towing a small skiff behind a larger sea going whaler. The MPRA provided imagery showing pirate paraphernalia.

In order to conceal the evidence of their piracy activities, it is believed that the suspected pirates had cut loose and sunk the smaller skiff, containing weapons, ladders and a certain amount of fuel.

Aconit boarding teams investigating suspect whaler (EUNAVFOR photo)

Aconit’s helicopter intercepted and stopped the whaler, which had 10 suspected pirates onboard, by firing warning shots on 27 March 2012. A team from Aconit boarded the whaler and the suspects have been transferred on board the frigate. Two suspects received medical care by the Aconit’s medical service.

As no pirate paraphernalia was recovered the crew of the Whaler were sent back to the Somali coast with only enough water and fuel for a one-way journey.

The French Navy frigate Aconit’s intervention made it possible to hamper the action of a complete pirate action group, thus preventing them from committing new attacks in the area.

Apparently no trophies were awarded to the pirates for the "good effort" or for their "cooperation" in deep-sixing their pirate tools.

We are left to contemplate a long voyage in an open boat . . .

Somali Pirates: Piracy Leads to Standard Contract for Private Armed Counter-Pirate Guards

Unknown to much of the general public, the ships that travel the great sea lanes usually operate under contracts to carry goods and oil and other things from point A to Poiint B.
After years and years, these contracts (known as "charter parties") have become standardized in format - so that they are often a matter of "fill in the blank." In many instances, a contract for engaging a ship to carry something may consist of an email which reads, in part, something like "standard BIMCO terms," BIMCO (Baltic and International Maritime Council) being a trade organization the members of which have agreed on the terms of certain charter parties that form the standard contracts. The variations in the terms are covered in the emails by writing out the exceptions rather than the entire agreement. So, the terms may read, "standard BIMCO terms, except . . ." and the exception is set out. Using standard contracts saves a great deal of time and keeps lawyer fees down, a very important thing indeed.

Well, now, it is reported, as expected, that BIMCO publishes much anticipated GUARDCON Contract:

Soon to be under contract?

BIMCO is pleased to announce the publication of the GUARDCON standard contract for the employment of security guards on vessels. This brand new contract has been developed to provide ship owners and private maritime security companies (PMSC) with a clearly worded and comprehensive standard contract to govern the employment and use of security guards, with or without firearms, on board merchant vessels. While BIMCO would not like to see the use of armed security guards on ships becoming institutionalised, it recognises that while the industry awaits a more permanent long term solution, armed guards currently provide an effective deterrent to piracy attacks.

BIMCO’s Chief Officer Legal and Contractual Affairs, Grant Hunter said “In response to ship owners’ increasing demand for security services, an ever growing number of private maritime security companies have entered the market to meet that demand. In the absence of a standard contract for these services, ship owners and their P&I Clubs are currently faced with the difficult and time consuming task of assessing large numbers of contracts from these security companies, all with varying terms and conditions. GUARDCON’s objective is to create a contractual benchmark for the employment of security services so that minimum levels of insurance cover for PMSCs are established and that adequate safeguards are put in place to ensure that liabilities and responsibilities are properly addressed and that all necessary permits and licenses are obtained.”

So, using GUARDCON should help answer questions relating to the duties of an embarked security team and of the master of the vessel with respect to that team. You can view GUARDCON at the BIMCO site, along with an explanation and "Guidance on Rules for the Use of Force (RUF) by Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP) in Defence of a Merchant Vessel (MV)."

Thus, the "wild west" aspect of private security teams is tempered by lawyers and liability is accounted for. The cats have been herded.

 Well, except for the inevitable things that aren't clear in the contract . . . UPDATE: The security firm Sea Marshals, LTD announces it's one of the first to qualify for insurance under the BIMCO rules:

SeaMarshals Ltd is one of the first security companies to fully comply with the new BIMCO Guardcon contract released on 28th March 2012.

Among the many things we fulfill to comply you will find;
General liability insurance, 3rd party - USD 5 million
Professional indemnity insurance, USD 5 Million
Maritime employers insurance, USD 5 Million
Personal accident and illness, USD 250 000 per person
Valid licences for embarking and disembarking armed teams
Legal weapons, European origin, government EUC's
All men with STCW95, ENG1, SSO, CRB check, Weapons training, Military/Navy background and more..
100s of references from satisfied ship owners and masters from past transits.

Freedom and "The Eternal Inequality of Man"

From Owen Wister's The Virginian

It was through the Declaration of Independence that we Americans acknowledged the ETERNAL INEQUALITY of man. For by it we abolished a cut-and-dried aristocracy. We had seen little mere artificially held up in high places, and great men artificially held down in low places, and our own justice-loving hearts abhorred this violence to human nature. Therefore, we decreed that every man should thenceforth have equal liberty to find his own level. By this very decree we acknowledged and gave freedom to true aristocracy, saying, "Let the best man win, whoever he is." Let the best man win! That is America's word. That is true democracy. And true democracy and true aristocracy are one and the same thing. If anybody cannot see this, so much the worse for his eyesight.

Seems Like a Good Idea: A Patrol Frigate Based on the Coast Guard National Security Cutter

Advertised not as a LCS substitute, but rather as - something else -  Press release

National Security Cutter

Artist Conception of new Patrol Frigate

Huntington Ingalls Industries will participate in Doha's International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) this week, highlighting the new patrol frigate derivative of the company's proven U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter. The patrol frigate could be built at the company's Ingalls Shipbuilding facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi. "The Ingalls patrol frigate design has already proven its seaworthiness in U.S. Coast Guard service," said Dan Holloway, HII's corporate vice president for customer relations. "Our analysis has shown there are foreign navies with requirements for patrol frigate capabilities and that this particular design will address naval multi-mission needs. The patrol frigate's technologically advanced ship features, coupled with Ingalls' experienced workforce and active construction line, will generate an affordable platform for a variety of potential customers." In addition to its patrol frigate, Ingalls will highlight its long history of maintenance and overhaul support to the U.S. Navy, as well as its successful experience as one of the primary builders of DDG 51 destroyers. Ingalls has delivered three National Security Cutters to the Coast Guard, and two more ships are currently under construction. There are two patrol frigate variants: Patrol Frigate 4501 and Patrol Frigate 4921. Patrol Frigate 4501 is closely aligned with the basic National Security Cutter hull with limited design changes. The ships are 127 meters (418 feet) long with a 16.5 meter (54 feet) beam and displace 4,600 tons with a full load. The ship has a 12,000-nautical mile range and can operate in speeds up through 28-plus knots. They have an endurance of 60 days and accommodations for 148. The ship includes an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to accommodate a range of aircraft, with twin hangars for storage of one H-60 class helicopter and two rotary-wing unmanned aircraft. The ships are equipped with various sensors and surveillance systems as well as a 57-mm gun, a 20-mm close-in weapon system and six 50-caliber machine guns. Patrol Frigate 4921 has additional mission capabilities for anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, anti-surface and mine-warfare provided by a 76-mm gun, a 12-cell vertical launch system, an anti-ship missile launcher and torpedo launcher, sonar dome and remote-controlled and manned 50-caliber machine guns. Both frigates retain the NSC's propulsion system of one LM2500 gas turbine and two MTU20V 1163 diesels in combined diesel and gas configuration. All variants incorporate the current quality-of-life features on the NSC, including modern berthing compartments, entertainment facilities and workout facilities.

The Future Is Not Bleak

Somali Pirates: A German Look at Inshore/Ashore Counter-Piracy

Well, if the Somali pirates read der Speigel, they will know how far to nest off the beach, as set out in here, that distance is 2 klicks/km or 1.2 miles:

Last Friday, EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to expand the operation to include the coastal region. According to information obtained by SPIEGEL ONLINE, the ministers agreed that Atalanta units should be able to target pirates and their infrastructure up to a limit of two kilometers (1.2 miles) inland. If the expansion is approved, it will be the first time that Western forces are allowed to target pirates on the Somali mainland.

The last sentence is not entirely accurate. It is clear that France took forces ashore to whack some pirate thugs 4 years back (see here and here), the U.S. has, on occasion, gone inland to rescue hostages (see here, and there are - rumors - that other countries have had forces doing stuff off the water.

Still, 2 km is progress of sorts in taking the counter-piracy op ashore. In an earlier report in which the Germans revealed "consideration" of taking the fight ashore (see here), there was this whining noise:

Omid Nouripour, the defense spokesman for the Green Party's parliamentary group, was even more outspoken. He called the idea of targeting the pirates' onshore facilities "sheer madness." He spoke of the danger of mission creep should the pirates retreat further onshore in response to attacks.

And my suggestion of a suitable strike distance - somewhat deeper than 2 km:

Someone ought to explain to Omid Nouripour the difficulties imposed on the pirates by making them perform logistics 100 miles from the beach.

The Right to a Fair Trial

Over 30 years ago, I graduated from law school.

At the time, if there was one figure that I thought of as representing the best of the legal profession, the ideal of a lawyer doing the right thing at the right time, it was summed up in a movie scene where attorney Atticus Finch sits on the jail house steps waiting for the lynch mob he knows is coming for his client.

While the mob is off getting riled up, Atticus quietly reads a book under a light that looks like it came from someone's parlor.

 The right to a fair trial.

We've been through a lot to guarantee that to each and every accused, no matter how the lynch mob has howled.

No matter how certain the crowd was of guilt. No matter how the news media played up the voices of mob leaders.

We can be thankful that our constitution had added to it the Bill of Rights, and thankful that some lawyers have fought to keep those rights alive.

Even when it is unpopular.


You know, 30+ years later, Atticus Finch on that porch is still my ideal of a lawyer doing the right thing at the right time.

From Our Canadian Friends: CBC's "Pirates and Privateers"

CBC's Land and Sea: "Pirates and Privateers":

Book Updates

First, the editors of Maritime Private Security: Responses to Piracy, Terrorism, and Waterborne Security Risks in the 21st Century face the -um- appear at the Heritage Foundation where they discuss the book and answer questions about - well - about piracy and, um, maritime private security. As I write this, the video is not up yet for viewing, but it should be there soon.
UPDATE: Video is up:

Second, James D. Hornfischer's excellent book Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal is now out in paperback with a new cover design and a ranking as a “Best of 2011” by Military History Quarterly.

Night attacks at sea, failure and successes in command, death, destruction and great, great courage make for a compelling tale.

Somali Pirates: Iranian Vessel Hijacked in Maldivian waters

Eglantine (from here)

Reported as Pirates hijack cargo vessel in Maldivian waters:

A foreign cargo vessel has been hijacked by Somali pirates in Maldivian waters, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has confirmed.

The Bolivian-flagged vessel was hijacked about 190 nautical miles northwest of Hoarafushi island in Haa Alif Atoll, said MNDF Spokesperson Major Abdul Raheem.

Maldives circled in red

The MNDF have dispatched defence vessels to the scene of the hijacking. The vessel was identified on Somalia Report as the Iranian-owned MV EGLANTINE, with 23 crew members on board. The vessel, which has previously been named the Bluebell and the Iran Gilan, is owned by Darya Hafiz Shipping.

“Since it is a hijacking it is possible that the pirates will be armed. I cannot give further details on the mission. There are factors to be considered before going to a direct confrontation or rescue,” said Major Raheem. Foreign authorities have been asked for assistance, he confirmed.

Flags of Convenience reports the ship, being Iranian owned is on the U.S. Department of State's Speically Designated Nationals list.

Midrats Episode 116 The Irregular History of Warfare 03/25/12

Join us at 5 pm (Eastern U.S.) for Episode 116 The Irregular History of Warfare 03/25 on Midrats at Blog Talk Radio:

There is an echo that regular listeners to Midrats are very familiar with; the critical importance of an understanding of history in the profession of arms.

More than almost any other field, there is nothing new under the sun. The tools may change, but the play of power, economics, intellect, and drive which makes the difference in war and therefor human history remain the same.

A professional must reach back to Sun Tsu and Alexander the Great ... but he must also look closer.

To discuss for the full hour will be returning guest LCDR Benjamin "BJ" Armstrong. He recently returned from deployment as the Officer-In-Charge of an MH-60S Armed Helo Detachment which conducted operations with the BATAAN ARG and 22D MEU in support of Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR in the 6th Fleet AOR and maritime security/counter-piracy operations in the 5th Fleet AOR.

When BJ isn't off playing helicopter pilot, he is an occasional naval historian. His research extends over the subjects of naval history and irregular warfare. He is the author of numerous articles including "The Most Daring Act of the Age: Principles for Naval Irregular Warfare" in The Naval War College Review, and "Nothing Like a Good Maritime Raid" in USNI's Proceedings.

His article "Immediate Redress: The USS Potomac and the Pirates of Quallah Batoo" is forthcoming in the May issue of Small Wars and Insurgencies.

You can listen live by clicking on this link, or download the show later from the same link or on iTunes.

CyberWar: Time to Reboot

DARPA has a warning about cyber security and national defense "Don’t Try To Predict The Future Of Cyber Security Build It":

To date, there has been much focus on increasing DoD cyber defensive capabilities. To be sure, the list of needed capabilities is long. DoD networks may be safer than they were, but systems are often easily penetrated, accounts are routinely hacked, intellectual property and sensitive information are compromised, and the supply chain is not verifiably secure.

The Agency’s recent testimony before congress reinforced that malicious cyber attacks are not merely an existential threat to DoD bits and bytes; they are a real threat to physical systems—including military systems—as well as to U.S. warfighters.

The U.S. will not prevail against these threats simply by scaling current approaches.

“With respect to cyber offense, it is our firm belief that the Department, indeed the Nation, is at an inflection point,” said DARPA Director, Regina E. Dugan. “It is increasingly clear that the operational needs of the Department of Defense (DoD) cannot be achieved by scaling traditional methods for cyber. To be relevant, the DoD needs cyber tools that are matched in diversity of effect and scale, address different timescales and entirely new targets. It will require the integration of cyber and electronic warfare at unprecedented levels.”

Armed with original research spearheaded by Dugan and the Agency’s Deputy Director, Kaigham J. Gabriel, the Agency created a cyber analytical framework as a means of identifying specific opportunities and gaps in capabilities. “The DARPA Cyber Analytic Framework, completed over a period of months through original research and detailed investigation, concluded that the U.S. approach to cyber security is dominated by a strategy that layers security on to a uniform architecture,” said Dugan. “We do this to create tactical breathing space, but this approach is not convergent with an evolving threat.”

In normal English, that means that the current efforts are akin to little kids building sand walls to divert the sea around sand castles. It doesn't matter how many of those walls you build, they are still sand and easily defeated by the rising tide. In cyber world, layered defenses on a easily broken system are like those sand walls - and the tide of threats is rising.

How to fix it? That's DARPA's quest.