Tuefel,
Force Recon use to have a 9 man squad - 8 paddlers and a coxsun! I may be dating myself with that observation, but Force Recon would be wasted in the effort we have been discussing. Any regular Infantry Bn. platoon could train up and handle the Hostle Takedown mission.
We are not dealing with super stealth, ninga Spetznaz troops. We are dealing with teenagers who have been given AK-47's and RPG's and training that would be termed "Numba 10" in quality in the Village of Hennoko outside of Camp Schwab, R. Is.
There are litterally hundreds of ships transversing the waters of the AO of the Somali pirate punks. There are not enough Force Recon assets to handle a tenth of the traffic that is exposed to the attacks.
I watched a ship owner testify before Congress yesterday.
He made an eloquent request to allow American Flaged carriers arm their crews. The Captian of the Marsk Alabama, took the stand right after him and said the same thing. Having a few shooters (in the crew) or as supercargo would eleminate the threat.
The pirates are adapting to the unarmed crews who keep them away with water cannons during daylight. They are attempting to board in the dark of night, as stealthy as possible.
Put a couple of riflemen, equipped with starlight scopes during the hours of darkness on the bow and fantail and you eleminate the night attack threat.
Over thinking this threat, with all the command drag and political oversight involved is going to cause some very large embarrasing moments if we let those negative's get in the way.
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