Joint Warfighting 2010 Conference: "Combatant and Coalition Commanders: What Will They Need Five Years From Now?"

The long time radio voice of the Georgia Bulldog football team, Larry Munson, used to set the stage for his broadcasts with "Now get the picture!" before he went on to paint a verbal picture of the game. So, here's my effort to paint the picture of what "Joint Warfighting 2010 Conference: 'Combatant and Coalition Commanders: What Will They Need Five Years From Now?'" halfway through the first day.

Now, remember this, I spent 30+ years hanging about the U.S. Navy, full or part time. I point this out sort of like a sociologist so that you can judge whether or not my perceptions are not "value free" but carry a bias toward the naval side of the spectrum.

Having taken care of that, this is a big show. There's a large exhibition hall full of a variety of vendors of various goods and services that might be of interest to military professionals - and these vendors help defray the costs of the conference.

In the first morning session, the speaker was Army Lt. Gen. Michael L. Oates of  the Joint IED Defeat Organization. His organization put out a press release on his speech:

The director of the organization tasked with overcoming the challenge posed by improvised explosive devices (IED) spoke about the future of counter-IED efforts to kick off the 2010 Joint Warfighting Conference (JWC) today in Virginia Beach, Va.

The theme for this year’s three-day conference is “Combatant and Coalition Commanders: What Will They Need Five Years from Now?” Army Lt. Gen. Michael L. Oates, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) director, told the audience that IEDs represent a threat that will grow in number and complexity in coming years.

“We will see IEDs or their derivatives find their way into civilized society in greater numbers,” he said. They’ll be used by criminal enterprises. They’ll be used by hybrid threats that seek to seek partners – either in the drug trafficking enterprise or other commercial business – to destabilize societies. We will certainly see them in the combat sphere for years to come and we’re going to see the technology of these devices become more difficult to defeat.”
Oates said that information sharing and analysis is crucial in enabling tactical commanders to stop IED networks. “I absolutely believe that we have got to find a way ahead immediately to improve our information fusion, these databases for our tactical commanders,” he said. “There is no shortage of data. There is a dearth of analysis.”Oates also focused on the need to deliver battlefield requirements quickly.“We have got to rapidly receive demands from the field and turn a product back to the wartime commander in a time that he can use it,” he said. “The timeline at JIEDDO is zero to 24 months and I think we are failing. We need to turn some of these capabilities much faster. Days are like years for combat commanders. Their sense of urgency has got to be replicated within the industrial portion of the U.S. and our allies.”

Oates concluded his remarks on a note of optimism.”I do believe that this is winnable. I do believe that if we put our efforts together as partners with industry, academia, media and the national security apparatus, I do believe that we can make great progress toward defeating this capability or at least rendering it much less effective in the very near term. That is what I believe we need to provide to the combatant commanders, not in the next five years, but certainly in the next year to 18 months.”

One audience member asked whether IEDs are really "new" - a point earlier made by General Oates when he mentioned Japanese Kamikaze attacks off Okinawa during WWII - but it does suggest that the naval mine warfare is very similar to the current land IED issues. Perhaps there is some common area of interest between those communities. General Oates did point out that as compared to "booby traps" in Vietnam and other mine warfare, the key issue with IEDs is increasingly sophisticated weapons and remote triggering techniques.

With ground forces, the need to get inside the enemy's OODA loop by cracking networks and taking out key nodes (by co-option if possible, but if not, then ...)

As with sea mines, the IED weapons are both tactical and strategic - and play hell with maneuver warfare.

The second session was a panel on "Power Shifts: Who's Up? Who's Down? What's Changing?" Here a panel of experts got to expound on the upcoming threats or concerns. As MG Scales referred to it, the 800-pound gorilla in the discussion was China. And China. And China and, by the way, India, and, maybe North Korea (because of current instability). So, the "Ups" were China, India and the U.S. NATO was sideways and Russia "down" (but maybe working back into "Up." Until an audience question there was no discussion of Mexico (that unstable country on our southern border) - this prompted some brief discussion about the potential problems, but . . .


Next:

Panel: What Should Be Done to Secure the Homelands?

Moderator: David Hartman, former host, Good Morning America (Confirmed)
ADM Timothy J. Keating, USN (Ret.), former Commander, Northern Command/U.S. Pacific Command (Confirmed)
The Honorable Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Founder & Chairman of the Chertoff Group, LLC (Confirmed)

Opened with some historical look at the issues that faced the U.S. right after 9/11 and the massive restructuring of the government that resulted in the Department of Homeland Security. Phased into a discussion of risks now facing the U.S. - WMD, homegrown or naturalized citizens and self-taught wackos. Better info sharing helps defeat most of these  - and a great of luck. China pops up again as Admiral Keating gets asked about it. Apparently, China treats "transparency" differently than we do.
Chertoff takes off on Chinese cyber attacks on U.S. government sites and industrial sites - information being power, after all, including info on how to get into such systems if - you know- there were some urgent need on China's part. Like a war, perhaps? Transparent like lead. Keating asks if cyber attacks constitute an act of war. Hartman asks who it is who addresses such issues. Hard to say, I gather.

UPDATE: Hartman being funny as he asks Chertoff to comment on the current offshore oil spill and to compare an contrast with Katrina. Chertoff is polite - "black swan events happen only very rarely." Keating gets to take a shot at the fact that the initial reaction to Katrina was a sigh of relief that Katrina missed New Orleans - until the levee broke . . .

UPDATE2: Hartman how do you deal with the unpredictable? Keating (essentially): "Be prepared. Be flexible. Have good people." Amen to that.

Remember, USNI is sponsoring my presence at this thing.

Southeast Asia Pirates: Crew of Missing Tug Rescued by Vietnamese Navy

The crew of a pirate captured tug and barge has been recovered safely after being held captive and put adrift in a life raft in the South China Sea. Attack reported by ICC CCS here (map from that site).

Recovery reported by ReCAAP (with photos and maps) and AFP:

Armed attackers stole aboard the tugboat Atlantic 3 in Indonesian waters near Singapore on April 27, Afrizal and his captain told AFP, in what an analyst said was part of an upsurge of attacks in that area.

"All of us were tied up and put in a room," said Afrizal, 40, a native of Indonesia's Sumatra, who uses only one name. "Our eyes were covered."

The room became their cell for several days, until they were cast adrift in a life raft, he told AFP.
***
Efforts were still being made to locate the tug and its barge.
***
ReCAAP said the Atlantic 3 was the third tug reported missing this year.

 ReCAAP suggests that the tug followed a path similar to the one shown above after being taken by pirates. The emergency beacon in the life raft allowed the Vietnamese Navy to find the raft.

AFP quotes a source suggesting that tug/barge combos are easier pirate prey because of their relatively slow speed. Low freeboard make for easier boarding from small boats, too.

Fearless Navy Bloggers Took to the Air: Episode 20 - Growing the seed corn 5/9/2010 - Midrats on Blog Talk Radio

Latest installment at Episode 20 - Growing the seed corn 5/9/2010 - Midrats on Blog Talk Radio

Three professors from the "liberal arts" side of the U.S. Naval Academy discuss their approaches to teaching future Navy and Marine officers.

It's different than you might expect, and I enjoyed participating.

Joint Warfighting 2010 Conference: "Combatant and Coalition Commanders: What Will The Need Five Years From Now?"

Okay, sweet gig coming up reporting from the Joint Warfighting 2010 Conference: "Combatant and Coalition Commanders: What Will The Need Five Years From Now?" as a guest of the U.S.Naval Institute.

I probably will not be doing instant Tweeting or Facebooking or even instant blogging, though some of that could happen. Mostly, as I understand it, I'm there to report the event which runs May 11-13. You can expect posts both here and at the USNI Blog.

Think Purple.
 

Fearless Navy Bloggers Take to the Air: Episode 20 - Growing the seed corn 5/9/2010 at 5 pm EDT

Episode 20 - Growing the seed corn 5/9/2010 - Midrats on Blog Talk Radio:

Where does the Navy and Marine Corps grow the leaders of tomorrow? Well, a critical source is the United States Naval Academy. Join us as we discuss educating tomorrow's leaders with three of those chartered with that task from Annapolis.

Our guests will be, Associate Professor Virginia Lunsford, History Department; Professor Steve Frantzich, Political Science Department; and Professor Bruce Fleming, English Department.

Associate Professor Virginia W. Lunsford is a specialist in maritime history, especially the history of piracy and privateering; Early Modern Europe; European expansion and colonialism; and The Netherlands. She currently teaches courses on “Warfare in the Age of Sail”; “The Golden Age of Piracy: Myth and Reality”; “The Buccaneers: A Case Study in Asymmetrical Warfare”; and “American Naval History.” She is the author of "Piracy and Privateering in the Golden Age Netherlands" (New York and London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005) and is currently researching and writing "Dead Men Tell No Tales: A Cultural History of Piracy in the Modern Age" under contract with Routledge.

Steve Frantzich is Professor of Political Science at USNA where he was selected as the outstanding professor in 1990, runner-up as outstanding researcher in 2001 and as one of the first USNA Teaching Fellows in 2002. He is the author of over a dozen books, most recently Citizen Democracy: Citizen Activists in a Cynical Age (Rowman and Littlefield, 2004) and Cyberage Politics 101: Mobility, Technology and Democracy (Peter Lang Publishers, 2002).

Professor Bruce E. Fleming, specializes in Modernism, creative writing, and usable philosophy. A prolific author of books, articles, short stories and more, he will have two books coming out in 2010; "Bridging the Military-Civilian Divide," (Potomac Books, June 2010) and "Running is Life: Transcending the Crisis of Modernity," (Rowman and Littlefield, 2010).

Listen to Midrats on Blog Talk Radio

Somali Pirates: German-owned Chemical Tanker Taken Off Oman

MSC(HOA) reports here:

Early this afternoon, 8 May, a Marshal Island flagged, German owned, Chemical tanker the MARIDA MARGUERITE, of 13000 tonnes, was hijacked 120 miles south of Salalah (Oman).
The ship was approached by a pirate skiff firing automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades and the crew reported that they saw the pirates climbing onboard.
The ship has a crew of 22 (19 Indian, 1 Ukranian, 2 Bangladeshi) and it is believed that all are well. A passing merchant ship tried to make contact by VHF radio but received a response from the bridge of the hijacked vessel to “go away”. EU NAVFOR will continue to monitor the situation.

Ship photo by Malte Wulf from Shipspotting.com and used in accord with the terms of that site.

Map shows approximate location of attack.

Somali Pirates: Taiwanese and Yemeni Fishing Boats Taken

Somali pirates seize Taiwanese fishing vessel:

Somali pirates have captured a Taiwanese fishing boat off the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles, a maritime observer said on Saturday.

"Taiwanese fishing vessel TAIYUAN 227 is taken by pirates off Seychelles. Crew are composed of Chinese, Mozambican, Kenyan and Taiwanese nationals," said Andrew Mwangura, who heads the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme.

No further details were immediately available.

Also a report of a captured Yemeni fishing boat here:

Somali pirates have hijacked a Yemeni fishing boat in the Red Sea in western Yemen with a crew of 7 members onboard.

The boat was towed to Somali coast, the September website reported on Friday.

The hijacking came as pirates have recently stepped up their attacks off Yemen hijacking some Yemeni and foreign ships and tankers.

The Seychelles area attack is not shocking, but taking the Yemeni fishing boat in the Red Sea, out through the Bab-el-Mandeb through the Gulf of Aden to the coast of Somalia - that's really surprising.

Russia frees Somali pirates captured during ship recapture

BBC News - Russia frees Somali pirates captured in Gulf of Aden:

Russia has released Somali pirates captured during the dramatic rescue of a Russian oil tanker earlier this week.

The Russian defence ministry said the gang was freed because of "imperfections" in international law.
***
The pirates were released because of "an incomplete international legal basis" to keep them detained, Col Alexei Kuznetsov was quoted by Russia's Interfax news agency as saying.
***

Asked why Russia released the pirates, Col Kuznetsov told the Associated Press news agency: "Why should we feed some pirates?"

An earlier report:

Russian naval task force sailors released on Thursday the Somali pirates detained after a mission to free the Moscow University tanker, a Defense Ministry source told RIA Novosti.

"Unfortunately, at present there exist no legal rules for prosecuting in court the pirates operating in the region of Somali," the source said. "This means they do not fall under the jurisdiction of any state or international law."

Commandos from the large anti-submarine warship Marshal Shaposhnikov freed the tanker earlier on Thursday in a 22-minute operation that saw one pirate shot dead. The vessel, on its way from the Red Sea to China, was seized on Wednesday.

The source added that after the pirates had been disarmed and their navigation equipment removed, they were "put into an inflatable boat" and pushed off into the sea.

And one pirate was killed during the retaking of Moscow University.

An "inflatable" boat? I wonder if they gave the pirates paddles to row their way 300+ miles to Somalia?

Now, that's a form of punishment.

One good book

(May 4, 2010) An EA-6B Prowler assigned to the Patriots of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140 launches from the waist catapult of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). Dwight D. Eisenhower is deployed as a part of the on-going rotation of forward-deployed forces to support maritime security operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Chad R. Erdmann/Released)

Yeah, he's reading something.

No, I don't what.

Not being a carrier guy myself, I pose the question to those who are - is this not a potential FOD hazard - not the sailor, but the thing he's reading?

Must be exciting reading, though.

Click on the photo to make it bigger.

Russian Warship Frees Tanker from Somali Pirates

Reported as Russia says one of its warships frees pirate-seized Russian tanker; no injuries:

The Russian Defense Ministry says one of its warships has freed a Russian oil tanker that had been seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia.

Ministry spokesman Col. Alexei Kuznetsov says the pirates are being held aboard the tanker, called the Moscow University. He says there were no injuries among the 23 tanker crew members - all of whom are Russian - or the warship's sailors.
***

More here from the AP's Katherine Houreld:

Russian special forces rappelled onto a disabled oil tanker taken over by Somali pirates, freeing 23 Russian sailors and arresting the pirates during a dawn raid Thursday, the commander of the EU Naval Force said.

The raid against the Liberian-flagged ship Moscow University came 24 hours after pirates had taken the ship over and the crew locked itself in a safe room. The vessel is carrying 86,000 tons of crude oil worth about $50 million.

The special forces had been aboard the Russian anti-submarine destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov, which rushed to the scene after Wednesday's attack. The special forces boarded a helicopter and rappelled down to the Moscow University, Rear Adm. Jan Thornqvist, force commander of the EU Naval Force, told The Associated Press.

Shots were fired during the raid but no one was injured, Thornqvist said.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Alexei Kuznetsov said the pirates are being held aboard the tanker. Russian news agencies reported the death of one pirate during the raid, but Kuznetsov told AP that information was still being looked into.
***
The ship's owner, Novoship, said in a statement that the decision to free the ship was made knowing "that the crew was under safe cover inaccessible to the pirates and that the lives and health of the sailors was not threatened by anything."

Cmdr. John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force, called the rescue "an excellent operation all around." He said the EU Naval Force had been working at a tactical level with the Russians, and that EU Naval Force personnel talked to the Russian crew by VHF radio. He said the EU had offered support to the Russians.Post on pirate capture of ship here.

UPDATE: MSC(HOA) report:

The Liberian hijacked tanker Moscow University, which was hijacked yesterday, has been dramatically freed by the Russian warship, the MARSHAL SHAPOSHNIKOV.

Yesterday morning the Liberian flagged (Russian operated) oil tanker, MOSCOW UNIVERSITY, was hijacked approximately 350 miles east of Socatra. It was reported that the crew had locked themselves into the “rudder compartment” and a Maritime Patrol aircraft made contact with the crew a few hours later to confirm that they were safe. A Russian warship, Marshal Shaposhikov, was reported to be heading at full speed towards the hijack position. EU Naval Forces in the area offered support to the Russian ship and EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol aircraft were put on alert to support any operation.

Early this morning, the Marshal Shaposhnikov arrived at the oil tanker Moscow University’s position and sent a helicopter to investigate. The helicopter was fired upon by the pirates holding the ship. The Russian warship, knowing the crew were locked down and safe, returned fire on the pirates. Eventually the pirates surrendered and a boarding team from the Marshal Shaposhnikov arrived onboard the Tanker, captured all the pirates and freed the crew. All the crew are safe and well.

Tanker photo by Frans Sanderse from Shipspotting.com and used in accord with the terms found there.

Wednesday Reading

On the cause of the BP offshore well blowout, some good speculation and explanation of what might have happened at BP’s Deepwater Disaster: What Happened And Why?:

Instead, it appears that a gas bubble got into the well bore, causing what's called a "kick" as it traveled up the riser. Even a relatively small amount of gas a can cause big problems because a gas bubble will expand massively as it moves from high pressure at the seafloor to lower pressure at the surface. The friction caused by the gas bubble pushing up the pipe and displacing the drilling mud used to control the pressure could have created a static charge that ignited the gas into a fireball.

Offshore oil operations in deep water is not a safe business. Safer than it used to be, but the pressure at depth is an added element to an already hazardous operation.

About the Navy: From TheHill.com:

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday warned that the shipbuilding budget is unlikely to continue growing and urged the Navy and Marine Corps to ready for new challenges posed by modern militaries using unconventional tactics and terrorist groups with advanced weapons.

“We have to ask whether the nation can really afford a Navy that relies on $3 [billion] to $6 billion destroyers, $7 billion submarines and $11 billion carriers,” Gates said during a speech at the Navy League’s annual Sea Air and Space symposium.
***
“We simply cannot afford to perpetuate the status quo that heaps more and more expensive technologies onto fewer and fewer platforms — thereby risking a situation where some of our greatest capital expenditures go toward weapons and ships that could potentially become wasting assets,” Gates said.

Gates called for shifting investments toward long-range unmanned aircraft and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities; new sea-based missile defenses; a submarine force with expanded roles that is prepared to conduct more missions “deep inside an enemy’s battle network”; and an increase in submarine strike capabilities as well as the development of smaller and unmanned underwater technologies.

Gates decried the erosion of the U.S. edge on precision-guided weapons, in particular the long-range, anti-ship cruise and ballistic missiles.

“This is of particular concern with aircraft carriers and other large, multibillion-dollar blue-water surface combatants, where, for example, a Ford-class carrier plus its full complement of the latest aircraft would represent potentially $15 [billion] to $20 billion worth of hardware at risk,” Gates told the Navy League audience.

Gates said that potential adversaries are aware of the unparalleled advantage the U.S. Navy has with its destroyers, carriers, amphibious ships, destroyers and submarines. That is why none of them, despite investing in their naval programs, “intends to bankrupt themselves by challenging the U.S. to a shipbuilding competition.”

Instead, potential adversaries are investing in weapons designed to neutralize U.S. advantages by threatening American sea and air assets as well as their supporting networks.

Read the whole thing.

Time for a "bi-purposed" fleet?

A "blue water dominance" force and "green water force?"

See Captain Wayne Hughes, "The New Navy Fighting Machine" (get your very own copy here):

The “New Navy Fighting Machine” promotes a wider mix of ships, in a more numerous fleet, with better-focused capabilities, to meet a range of scenarios in green and blue water environments. The new fighting machine does this within an affordable SCN (Ship Construction Navy) budget ceiling, because the U.S. defense budget already dominates defense spending in the rest of the world.

The fleet’s new component is a green water force of small vessels to fulfill the three sea service chiefs’ maritime strategy of collaboration and support of theater security operations now manifested in Navy global fleet stations. The green water force also includes coastal combat forces, and additional reconnaissance for the land and sea side of a littoral. These capabilities are achieved with 10% of the SCN budget.

Although our green water fleet of about 240 vessels is more attuned to the needs of the nation than anything else we have seen, the composition can be no more than a supposition, because of the intricacy of the operations described herein. For example, the green water component also includes an additional 400 affordable and easy-to-operate inshore patrol craft to help build up the capabilities of some countries without navies or coast guards.

Captain Hughes proposes 10% of the shipbuilding budget be devoted to national security assets such as ballistic missile submarines, 10% for the "green water" force and 80% for the blue water fleet:

The blue water fleet is the essential foundation of American sea power’s three great rewards: first, the nation’s ability to project power and influence from the seas; second, the flawless, loss-free delivery of forces for every large or small land engagement overseas since World War II; and third, U.S. Navy popularity among all friendly nations of the world as their guarantor of safe sea lanes for trade and prosperity.

Cost reductions are realized, in part, by developing a non-nuclear submarine component of air-independent design (allowing more hull for the buck), shifting the focus from amphibious assault to "amphibious lift". Hughes sees Navy manning levels remaining about the same, despite an increase in the number of hulls in the water to about 650 - many smaller ships with smaller crews and spreading eggs into many, networked, competent platforms.

As usual, the key is quality training:

But, in a different way, the training must be just as sophisticated. Examples are (1) the need to prepare junior commanding officers of patrol craft in the art of theater security and nation building; and (2) the return to professionalism in warships devoted to mine warfare, antisubmarine warfare, and countering swarms of small missile boats—as compared to the well-developed capability to deliver accurate strikes ashore. There is time to change the training as the new fleet is produced, but only if both the different tactics and new training are developed simultaneously with the new operational emphasis.

Something needs to be done. My view is that a a bi-purposed fleet is good concept if there are leaders to take us there. More ships is always good. "Send the Eagle's Answer!"

UPDATE: France seems to get it: Anti-piracy patrol ship:

The French naval shipyard DCNS said Tuesday it plans to construct a patrol boat designed for anti-piracy operations.

The 90-metre (295-foot) vessel is planned have a top speed of 21 knots (39 km/hr, 24 miles/hr) allowing for rapid manoeuverability to conduct boardings by commandos or coast guards.

The ship, to be manned by a crew of 30, is to have range of 8,000 nautical miles, have a helicopter pad and be able to handle drones, and cost around 30 million euros (39 million dollars) .

Somali Pirates: "Russian" Oil Tanker Grabbed

Reported by MSC(HOA) here:

Liberian flagged oil tanker hijacked
05/05/2010 10.04 UTC
On the morning of 5 May, the Liberia flagged (Russian operated) Oil Tanker MOSCOW UNIVERSITY, was hijacked approximately 350 nautical miles east of Socatra.

At the time of the attack, the MOSCOW UNIVERSITY was heading east with a final destination of China. The ship has a crew of 23, all from Russia, and all are believed to be well. MOSCOW UNIVERSITY, with dead weight of 106,474 tones, was not registered with Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) for their recent transit through the IRTC but they had reported to UKMTO.

It is understood that a Russian warship is heading towards the hijacked position. EU NAVFOR continues to monitor the situation.

Ship photo by Frans Sanderse from Shipspotting.com and used in accord with the terms found there.

UPDATE: Related? From IMB's Live Piracy Report:

Attack Number: 2010/127
Date: Wed May 05 2010
Vessel Type: Crude Tanker
Location detail: Arabian Sea
Attack Type: Hijacked
Incident Details:

05.05.2010: 0413 UTC: Posn: 13:13N – 059:30E: (Arabian Sea) off Somalia.

Pirates in a skiff chased and opened fire on a tanker. The tanker made evasive manoeuvres and contacted a warship for help. Later, owners informed that they had lost contact with the tanker and that the ship was not moving. They believed all crew had locked themselves. A navy helicopter is believed to have reached the tanker and established communication with the crew by radio.

UPDATE2: Somali pirates' progress so far in 2010 (from IMB Live Piracy Map):

Somali Pirates: The Japanese-Greek Coalition Strikes

Reported by MSC(HOA) here:

EUNAVFOR Greek warship ELLI stops pirate skiff in its tracks - Successful cooperation with Japanese Task Force

04/05/2010 17.19 UTC

This morning 4 May, a Super Auk 12 helicopter from the Japanese Task Force reported a suspicious skiff with seven persons on board just outside the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) approximately 50 miles south of Al Mukalla, Yemen.

The Japanese Task Force was escorting a Convoy through the IRTC when it detected a suspicious skiff and informed the EU NAVFOR Greek warship HS ELLI of its position. HS ELLI closed the skiff which, despite warning shots from ELLI, refused to stop. The skiff conducted evading manoeuvres and tried to flee so ELLI used her main gun which had the effect of stopping the skiff and the persons on board surrendered. During the chase, the skiff’s crew were seen to throw material over board. Personnel from ELLI have now boarded the skiff and after a final investigation, the skiff was released.

This unprecedented cooperation between coalition forces strengthens the anti piracy forces ability to combat piracy.

I have no idea what a "Super AUK 12" helicopter is. My understanding is that the JMSDF flies SH-60 helicopters.

Somali Pirates:Yemeni-owned commercial ship hijacked

Reported as Yemeni-owned commercial ship hijacked by Somali pirates:

A Yemeni-owned commercial ship was hijacked by Somali pirates off Yemen's southern coast with nine Yemeni crew members on board, the country's Interior Ministry said on Monday.

The ministry's report cited a statement by the Yemeni police coastguard at the Gulf of Aden as saying that the hijack took place over the past few days after the ship left the port city of Mukall, Hadramout province, sailing towards Yemeni city port of Aden.

"The ship with the license registration name of Al-Asa'a carrying various merchandise along with nine Yemeni sailors on board has been moved by pirates to Karta area in the northern coast of Somalia," the report added.

Somali Pirates: Hijacked Ships Moved

VOA reports Somali Pirates Move Hijacked Ships After Insurgents Seize Town:

Somali pirates have moved three hijacked ships from the port of Harardheere, which was seized by Islamist militants on Sunday.

Witnesses say pirates sent the three ships farther out to sea as fighters from the insurgent group Hizbul Islam stormed into Harardheere, prompting pirates there to flee.

The destination of the ships is not known but many of the pirates have fled to another pirate stronghold, Hobyo, farther north on Somalia's eastern coast.

A spokesman for Hizbul Islam, Abdinasir Mohamed Afdhuub, says the group seized Harardheere to impose Islamic law.

However, pirates from the area say Hizbul Islam had demanded a cut of the pirates multi-million dollar business – hijacking ships for ransom.

Red arrow is Haradheere, yellow is Hobyo.

Somali Pirates: EU - "Seek, Disrupt, Destroy"

From MSC(HOA) here:

EU NAVFOR's seek, disrupt and destroy policy continues its success

02/05/2010 09.51 UTC

Following hot on the heels of EU NAVFOR French ship Tonnerre's success, who earlier today (1st May) tracked down and destroyed a mother ship, EU NAVFOR FS Lafayette destroyed another Mother ship and held another 9 suspected pirates for questioning.
A helicopter from the Lafayette spotted a pirate action group (PAG), with one mother ship and one skiff, in the Indian Ocean, between Mogadishu and the Seychelles.
When detected, the suspected pirates tried to escape and threw paraphernalia over board. The helicopter fired warning shots and the mother ship finally stopped.

Lafayette then did an unopposed boarding and found evidence to show the intention of the suspects to commit piracy. Nine individuals were held for further investigation and the mother ship was destroyed. The skiff was taken onboard Lafayette, as evidence.
This is the second successful disruption on the same day which continues to show EU NAVFOR's more offensive strategy is working. The joint action by EU NAVFOR's French warships Tonnerre and Lafayette and Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the Seychelles was evidence of excellent teamwork and a determination to fight these criminal acts.

In another action today, a unit from Task force 508 (NATO) disrupted a PAG and held 5 suspects. EU NAVFOR works closely with other coalition forces in the area (including CMF) and sharing assets such as EU NAVFOR's Maritime Patrol Aircraft, makes for a potent and extremely effective combination in fighting piracy.

Report on the captures by FS Tonnerre.

Get Ready! Disaster Preparedness Time!

Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes are coming. Earthquakes are always a threat. Terrorism can close a city. And so can a broken water main.

Get ready. Now!

Okay, assuming that you haven't been running around from Lowe's to Home Depot to REI and assembling your own 5 day emergency kit - spend $160 and buy one of these: Deluxe Home / Office Emergency Kit - 5 Person:

This kit by iPrepare was awarded "Best Overall Value" by the Wall Street Journal

This survival kit is designed to meet the needs of employees at their workplace in the event of earthquakes, power outages, or any other major disaster. The food and water have a 5-year shelf life. What a great investment in security!

***
5 Person Kit Includes:

5 - 2400 Cal Food Ration
5 - 25 oz. Water Packs
5 - Solar Blankets
1 - 8 x 10 Blue Tarp
1 - Leather Work Gloves (pair)
50 - Germicidal Tablets
12 - Toilet Liners
5 - Wet Naps
50 - Waterproof Matches
1 - AM/FM Solar Radio

4 - 12 Hour Light Sticks
1 - 123 Piece First Aid Kit
1 - 5 pack of Candles
2 - Latex Gloves (pair)
1 - Toilet Chemicals
5 - Dust Masks
1 - Port-a-Pottie


26 lbs.

Yes, you can do it cheaper. But you haven't, have you?

I'd add more matches,some dried milk and kid food. A camp stove? Propane? A candle lantern...
Bug repellent (an mosquito netting). Lots more wipes. A pry bar. A "come along."
(see here)

Self-defense? I'm interested in this. Which lessens the chance you'll kill some one by accident.

UPDATE: Nice water filter. And be sure to add a small bottle of chlorine bleach to your kit.

Just so you'll know: I am not compensated by iPrepare, nor do I know anyone who works for that company, nor am I affiliated with it in any way.

Somali Insurgent Group Seizes Pirate Area

Reported by the VOA as Somali Insurgent Group Seizes Pirate Stronghold:

The Somali insurgent group Hizbul Islam has seized control of Harardheere, a pirate stronghold on Somalia's eastern coast.

Witnesses say insurgents driving at least 10 armed vehicles entered Harardheere without a fight Sunday, after pirates fled the town.

Men who describe themselves as pirates say Hizbul Islam sent agents to the town on Friday, demanding a cut of the pirates' business.

They say pirate leaders had ignored the request, prompting Hizbul Islam to send in its fighters.

There was no immediate word on the fate of hijacked ships that had been anchored off Harardheere.

Somali pirates have made tens of millions of dollars seizing ships for ransom over the last few years. The pirates are currently believed to be holding 24 ships in all, with about 400 crew members.

Some of the ships are anchored off Hobyo, another pirate haven to the north. Witnesses say pirates from Harardheere may have fled there ahead of the Hizbul takeover.

It will be interesting to see how much of the pirate "home port" is driven by clan affiliation...and whether the Haradheere pirates will be welcomed in Hobyo - and who and how the ships anchored off Hobyo will be sustained with food, water and guards.

Some of you might recall an inter-pirate battle from the past.

UPDATE: In the top map, the yellow arrow points toward Hobyo and the red arrow to Harardheere.

Somali Pirates: Iran Reports Saving a Ship

Reported as Iran saves ship from Somali pirates:

An Iranian naval vessel patrolling the volatile waters of the Gulf of Aden has managed to save a container ship from the clutches of Somali pirates.

The 'Atlantic' containership was ambushed by more than 20 pirate boats while it was carrying a heavy load of minerals from Singapore to the Suez Canal.

As the pirates were attempting to board the containership, they were immediately confronted by an Iranian naval vessel, which was patrolling the area nearby.

The pirates, after engaging in a pitched battle with the Iranian naval vessel, fled to the shores of Oman, read a statement released by the Iranian navy on Sunday,

Fearless Navy Bloggers Take to the Air: Episode 19 National Security issues in the 2010 election 5/2/2010 8PM

Episode 19 National Security issues in the 2010 election 5/2/2010 - Midrats on Blog Talk Radio

Six months prior to the NOV 2010 election, what are the national security issues that will make a difference? After Senator Brown was elected, this little jewel was delivered by Andrew McCarthy; " "It was health care that nationalized the special election for what we now know is the people’s Senate seat. But it was national security that put real distance between Scott Brown and Martha Coakley. “People talk about the potency of the health-care issue,” Brown’s top strategist, Eric Fehrnstrom, told National Review’s Robert Costa, “but from our own internal polling, the more potent issue here in Massachusetts was terrorism and the treatment of enemy combatants.”

Our guests will be Mackenzie Eaglen, Research Fellow for National Security and James S. Robbins is Senior Editorial Writer for Foreign Affairs at the Washington Times. He is also author of the book, "Last in Their Class: Custer, Pickett and the Goats of West Point," and a political commentator and contributing editor for National Review Online.

Note the special time: 8pm Eastern Daylight Time/ 00 GMT/3am Istanbul, 3 May
and that you can listen to the show later and download it from Blog Talk Radio and on iTunes.
Listen to Midrats on Blog Talk Radio