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[eyebiter]

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[Barthheart]

Bile Hussein, a pirate commander, said Tuesday the attack on Handulle village in the Mudug region of Somalia's central coastline will cause a setback to pirate operations.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/05/15/eu-carries-out-first-air-strikes-on-somali-pirates/#ixzz1uwk4nxg6

If the press can find this jackhole (great pirate name - Bile) to get a quote from him, why can't someone put a bullet in his head????

[mirth]

I didn't realize that the EU had so sizeable a naval presence in the region. Sounds like the strike just carried out may have used Eurcopter Tiger's launched from a French amphibious assault ship.

[MIGMaster]

The Brits are also using their Apaches off the back of frigates now in some operations. Would be interesting to know the details.

[mirth]

The Brits are also using their Apaches off the back of frigates now in some operations. Would be interesting to know the details.

Yeah that is interesting. I wonder how much work it takes to 'navalize' them.

[mirth]

Pic of Apaches onboard HMS Ocean-

[Gusington]

This is awesome. Would make a great game, book or movie.

[bayonetbrant]

also posted over at GN.  feel free to chime in there, too.

[mirth]

An article with a few more details-

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16228319

In what is seen as a significant change in tactics, a single attack helicopter - the nationality of which is not yet known - launched air strikes against targets on the Somali shore overnight on Tuesday.

[Gusington]

What a lovely looking beach. Too bad it's in Hell.

[MIGMaster]

There was a game based on combating pirates with helos off an armed supply ship called KA-50 Hokum. You could also fly a Cobra and a MIL-8, I believe. It was published by Virgin Interactive and you could attack speed boats, other helos, pirate bases, etc.... I had a great time playing it. 

http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/ka-50-hokum/screenshots/gameShotId,464348/

[Windigo]

What the hell? Air assets finally getting utilized?

BTW why would this Bile douchebag tell the truth about how effective the strike was?  I call bullshit on the story's on the ground source.

[MIGMaster]

The whloe operation must have been studied for a while - you just don't hit sites in Somalia off the cuff. It would be great to hear some more of the operational details and if they are going to amp it up.

[mirth]

According to the articles, the EU just changed the rules-of-engagement to allow for hitting onshore targets last month. They also operate under a UN charter that limits the RoE.

From the commander of the EU-NAVFOR:

"What I am commanding here is a constabulary operation, effectively it is a law enforcement action against a criminal act," he told Sky News.

I'm hoping they'll release some more details too. I'm all for them going after the pirates onshore.

[Windigo]

According to the articles, the EU just changed the rules-of-engagement to allow for hitting onshore targets last month. They also operate under a UN charter that limits the RoE.

From the commander of the EU-NAVFOR:

"What I am commanding here is a constabulary operation, effectively it is a law enforcement action against a criminal act," he told Sky News.

I'm hoping they'll release some more details too. I'm all for them going after the pirates onshore.

UN Rules???   SNAFU