I am surprised no one got this earlierOne word: satellites.
I am surprised no one got this earlierOne word: satellites.
I am surprised no one got this earlier
I'm not conviced satellites from 1960 to 1990 would have been that useful in this context to non great powers.I am surprised no one got this earlier
One purpose of merchant raiders that doesn't seem to be considered is the diversion of warships away from the war zone to protect shipping, and the reduced efficiency of convoying ships to provide an escort. Without even sinking anything the presence, or rumor of the presence of raiders in an area can have a negative affect.
This is what submarines are for. Its just a vastly superior alternative.
Submarines are expensive, raiders are cheap.
No, no they are not. That is the single biggest miscomprehension here, none of the alternatives listed in this thread would be cheap. We're talking expensive suicide boats and anyone who have looked at the problem in the past 60 years have realized this. The response time is too quick and their ability to survive is nonexistent. Submarines negate both these issues and carry the additional benefit that they require a much more comprehensive and expensive set of systems to defend against. Imagine all the effort that has gone into things like SOSUS, sonbouys, passive listening systems, sonar, countermeasures, specialized weaponry, dedicated ASW ships and the fact that even with all these things, modern submarines still routinely find ways of tricking them during wargames and exercises.
If you want something that have your opponents consume a massive amount of resources to counter and is still hard to defend against, then submarines are your go-to answer.
If we're talking minor powers during Cold War, as specified by OP, subs are prohibitively expensive, whether in terms of acquisition, operation or personnel, to operate in any effective capability. If we're talking First World countries against Second World countries or vice versa operating in a conventiona war, then the subs are answer.
Wouldn't that defeat the purpose, aren't you trying to capturing the ship and cargo?You can build something powerful enough in order to be sure you will instantly destroy your target,
Could a modern Q-ship be disguised as a research vessel?
It would have legitimate reasons for an on-board workshop to repair helicopters and submersibles, to have an eclectic crew with a range of skills, and it could pick the right helicopters and submersibles to be quickly armed and disarmed as the situation demands.
![]()
They also make some money by producing new data on weather, ocean conditions, and sea-life. But when night falls, they lower the flag of science and hoist the jolly roger.
Even for smaller developing world nations, submarines are infinitly preferable to surface raiders when it comes to the ability to actually pose a valid threat that will make an opponent think twice. Even old whiskey class diesels will represent a threat to be taken seriously and will require much more significant amount of resources to counter compared to a surface raider that will only require a patrol aircraft with eyeball mark I to spot and a single armed aircraft to kill.
This is in the vein of what troubles me. I don't see a use for raiders except in declared wars, because using them undeclared is effectively asking to be bombed into oblivion.Because doing so would be violating international law. The 1856 Paris Convention which all major maritime powers have agreed to outlaw privateering.
Two words: underwater tubes.Good point , can torpedo tubes be easily concealed ?
Can they be used against enemy warships too at close range ?
Maritime recon planes can be shot down and most countries only have a handful of them anywayThe Advent of radio and long-range Maritime reconnaissance spelt the end of the Commerce raider.
The Graf Spee and are the German Commerce Raiders we're able to achieve success because they operated out of the range of Allied reconnaissance flights. Radio reports from their victims allowed Allied Naval units to eventually hunt them down.
A modern-day Commerce Raider would not last long