Q-ships are heavily armed merchant vessels with concealed weaponry. Dad says they were used as decoys during WWII to lure in German u-boats, and that the practice was actually started by the British Navy.

Q-ships are heavily armed merchant vessels with concealed weaponry. Dad says they were used as decoys during WWII to lure in German u-boats, and that the practice was actually started by the British Navy.

 

Actually the Royal Navy made greater use of them during WWI than WWII because the U-Boats were actually even more likely to surface to attack merchant vessels in the WWI than WWII.

 

They ceased to be of use once the convoy systems were implemented in both wars, and in WWII when the Wolf-Packs were used as they usually attacked at night and from under the waves. For what it's worth I don't believe the U.S. ever used them to the extent the British did. By the time we joined both wars, convoy systems were in place and Q-Ships were somewhat redundant.

 

Sorry, about the obscure WWI reference, but a CBG would be excessive. My thoughts are that a converted merchant vessel with USN personnel on board and outfitted with hidden, modern, ordinance would make for a considerable deterrent. Put about 15, at most, in the area plying the shipping lanes flying U.S. or whatever nation's flag it would make the pirates a lot more cautious once a few of their raiding parties got blown out of the water.

They're only using 15 ships in the task force, right now. The Q-Ships could be a tool, but what is needed is a full carrier battle group in the area.

 

 

A CBG would be like using a sledgehammer on a horsefly. They would need to find them in thousands of square miles of ocean. Not an easy task and a horrible misallocation of a CBG's resources.

 

I think the idea of a modern Q-Ship would be a much more economical and viable option.

Could someone please define "Q-ship" for me? Never heard of that term before.

 

 

As much as I hate to use wikipedia, they give a good general concept of it:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q-ship

Thanks for the clarification, guys. :thumb:

A CBG would be like using a sledgehammer on a horsefly. They would need to find them in thousands of square miles of ocean. Not an easy task and a horrible misallocation of a CBG's resources.

 

I think the idea of a modern Q-Ship would be a much more economical and viable option.

Not my idea. It's my father's. According to the Sgt. Major, "You don't have to look for them, just run operations in the area, 400 to 600 miles off the coast. When an SOS is issued, you already have aircraft flying 300 miles away that can be on site in minutes. Worst case is that the hijacked ship gets followed to base and then we take that out." I give the old man some leeway when it comes to military ops. He fought in 3 wars, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

 

As for me, I look at it more like crop dusting as opposed to fly swatting. Blanket the area and kill all the bugs. You save more money by eliminating the pirates.

Not my idea. It's my father's. According to the Sgt. Major, "You don't have to look for them, just run operations in the area, 400 to 600 miles off the coast. When an SOS is issued, you already have aircraft flying 300 miles away that can be on site in minutes. Worst case is that the hijacked ship gets followed to base and then we take that out." I give the old man some leeway when it comes to military ops. He fought in 3 wars, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

 

As for me, I look at it more like crop dusting as opposed to fly swatting. Blanket the area and kill all the bugs. You save more money by eliminating the pirates.

 

:thumb:

Not my idea. It's my father's. According to the Sgt. Major, "You don't have to look for them, just run operations in the area, 400 to 600 miles off the coast. When an SOS is issued, you already have aircraft flying 300 miles away that can be on site in minutes. Worst case is that the hijacked ship gets followed to base and then we take that out." I give the old man some leeway when it comes to military ops. He fought in 3 wars, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

 

As for me, I look at it more like crop dusting as opposed to fly swatting. Blanket the area and kill all the bugs. You save more money by eliminating the pirates.

 

 

As this situation develops I am more inclined to agree with you.

This didn't go to well for the pirates. 3 of the 4 holding the captain were killed by sharpshooters and the other was arrested. The captain is safe and on the American warship. Some people are worried that the pirates may escalate the violence now, but it won't be the 3 dead ones.:clap: