Do you think the two Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers will be able to do much in fighting piracy off Somalia?

Depending on the circumstances yes. The mere presence of a naval vessel may be enough to thwart a pirate attack. The pirates are using small craft and small arms. These destroyers each carry helicopters and commando teams, just like the other Navies' vessels and well suited to the mission. It's not the number of warships that have been sent by one country, it's the number of nations that have each sent ships for the mission that's significant.

I think the Somalis are bold enough to attack them, and the destroyers are dumb enough to be boarded.

These aren't whale protesters or north Korean spy ships.

Nothing to think, no options for MSDF but to fight, fight successfully.

Clearly some people are not aware of the lesser firepower available on a AEGIS class DDG. 25MM rapid fire cannons on port and starboard that fire shells the size of your forearm.

why, did they leave yet? weren't they asked in 2008?

Avast me heartie! To catch those pirates first the Maritime Self-Defense Force have study up pirates by reading Treasure Island. Then they have to learn pirate talk.

Repeat after me:u

Jolly Roger (Jolli loja)

Walk the plank (ouaku za planku)

Cutlass (kuturasu)

Hardie-har-har (haldi-halu-haiu)

buried treasure. (bellied tulejuru)

When you meet the pirates say: Please drop your cutlasses and tell me where the buried treasure is or I'll make you walk the

Blast it, I hit the submit button.

Okay to continue.

When you meet the pirates say: "Hardie-har-har! [showing you mean business] Please drop your cutlasses and tell me where the buried treasure is or I'll make you walk the plank!" Phenetically that would be: "Haldie-halu-halu! Pleazu dlopo yuru cutlassesu ando tellu mi ouereu za bellied tlejuru isu oru ailu mayku yu ouaku za planku."

This will strike terror into the hearts of those pirates and they'll stop their evil ways and open up investment banks will all of their buried treaure.

Let's hope they can make a difference. There are many country's navy ships there now, which doesn't seem to be having much of an effect. The only effective way to stop these louts is to have the cargo ships travel in fleets shadowed by a few war ships. That's a pretty wide stretch of ocean down there.

An awful lot of space used on sttempted humor thanks. Don't give up your day job.

jeancolmar,

I agree with OssanAmerica. I hope that was just volunteer work.

voxman,

I dont think they are allowed to use their weapons, the pirates cud very well target the sdf destroyers to take for randsom, can you imagine if that happened, I wud love to hear Leno`s 2yen on that!

The critical aspect of this mission is to streamline operational procedures, calibrating how to approach the offending boat while working under constraints. The MSDF will be coordinating w/ vessels from numerous countries, and the procedures to work w/ other countries is very complicated and difficult - this is excellent experience. Also, given the small boats involved, experimenting in various ways to hinder, stop the boat would be good experience - does one just blow the crap out of them or can the boat be incapacitated? This mission would allow all options to be considered. I wish I could be an observer.

Do you think the two Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers will be able to do much in fighting piracy off Somalia?

Probably more than they did to prevent the abduction of Japanese civilians to North Korea. Then again, that's a prett low bar ....

No

I dont think they are allowed to use their weapons.

They can in self defense if they somalis pirates attack first, then the gloves can come off. I dont think the somails would be that brave or suicidal.