Security

Blackwater 2.0: Hired Guns on the High Seas

Blackwater Worldwide President and CEO Erik Prince hit the talk show circuit yesterday to pitch his company’s pirate-fighting expertise. The waters off the coast of Somalia have seen a surge in piracy, and Prince said Blackwater is now in ‘active discussions’ to provide hired muscle for over a dozen commercial shipping lines. Earlier this month, […]

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Blackwater Worldwide President and CEO Erik Prince hit the talk show circuit yesterday to pitch his company's pirate-fighting expertise. The waters off the coast of Somalia have seen a surge in piracy, and Prince said Blackwater is now in 'active discussions' to provide hired muscle for over a dozen commercial shipping lines.

Earlier this month, the company announced that the McArthur, a former oceanographic research ship, was on call to fight piracy in the Gulf of Aden. Prince gave a few more details on the whole concept:

Our concept is to use our boat, it’s a boat we bought about two and half years ago, it’s an old research vessel that we reconfigured to haul two Little Bird helicopters, three RIB [rigid inflatable] boats, and 35 security professionals. And it would be literally be a convoy escort boat -- where the RIBs could be out and deployed, and provide an outer screen similar to what a ground based personnel security detail would be. This is essentially a water based personal security detail, putting trained quality personnel between pirates and those they seek to plunder.

Employing mercs to defend commercial ships raises a bunch of legal issues. This Week in Defense News host Vago Muradian followed with a fairly interesting question: "Are the rules of engagement clear enough for your taste to get involved in that region?" Said Prince:

We would certainly abide by U.S. laws, export restrictions on that kind of thing. But [There’s a] pretty clear use of force continuum, from warning shots [to] laser dazzlers. But frankly, if guys are in a small boat, in a 20-foot fishing boat in the middle of the Gulf of Aden, holding an RPG, he’s not there out fishing. So clearly you know what their intent is.

Q: Is there a problem with laser dazzlers, or is that something that’s an appropriate technology?

  • There’s acoustic devices, there are lasers, there are lots of things that will get people’s attention and clearly dissuade them from further attack. And if they start shooting with us, that’s where the security guys go to work.*

Hmm, now might be a good time to read up on the whole *Global Patriot *incident.
Earlier this year, an innocent Egyptian man was killed by shots from a commercial ship under contract to the Navy as the vessel passed through the Suez Canal.

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