Modern incarnation of a commerce raider

Not really on-point to the OP, but...

Could a container ship be quickly converted as an ASW escort? Containers to aid floatation, plus with *ASROC & helos in them? In essence, *MAC ships.
 
IMO they'd be suspect from the beginning. The SU had a long history of using them and fishing vessels for intelligence gathering, best IMO to keep to merchantmen. There is also the fact that no one but wealthy nations can afford such thnggs.

What could be the smallest state likely to have a few research vessels? Norway? New Zealand? I wonder what kind of conflict they could get involved in that would allow them to use these things. If they declare open war, then their research vessels, armed or not, would be taken by a true blue water navy pretty quickly. If they were 'neutral' but actually a proxy for some other faction in the conflict?

Not really on-point to the OP, but...

Could a container ship be quickly converted as an ASW escort? Containers to aid floatation, plus with *ASROC & helos in them? In essence, *MAC ships.

I think this concept here in (image related) was drawn up during the Falklands War.

xBqIRNk.jpg


Any country with VSTOL aircraft and container ships might be able to put this together. Maybe even a corporation or other private entity. It would be hard to hide that ski-jump, but not impossible. I mean hard to hide it at sea, and also hard to hide on shore, when it is bought and installed on a ship that would create a paper trail.
 
Use drones to ID the target ship. The fact you don't have to get close enough to them to alarm them means the chances of detection are lessened considerably. Raiders are only going to be good for the early part of a war, once someone cottons on to the possibility there may be a raider about security measures would be increased. Merchant ships aren't military vessels. They no longer carry big crews, only the absolute minimum to get from point A to B. They would need some type of FC radar, or something else to detect incoming missiles, and then Chaff launchers to defend against a missile. Neither is going to happen unless there is a LONG war, there simply isn't the equipment available.
 
I think this concept here in (image related) was drawn up during the Falklands War.

xBqIRNk.jpg


Any country with VSTOL aircraft and container ships might be able to put this together. Maybe even a corporation or other private entity. It would be hard to hide that ski-jump, but not impossible. I mean hard to hide it at sea, and also hard to hide on shore, when it is bought and installed on a ship that would create a paper trail.
I don't see a need for fixed-wing. I'm picturing Blackhawks or Sea Kings or something: convoy A/S only, not fleet ops.
 
I don't see a need for fixed-wing. I'm picturing Blackhawks or Sea Kings or something: convoy A/S only, not fleet ops.

For a commerce raider, being able to launch the longer ranged fixed wings would be a major advantage. For a Q ship or a modern pirate it's not as important.

Of course we could be surprised by the next generation of rotor wings.

(a picture tells a thousand words)

LhWvwBu.jpg


cwucluL.jpg
 
To start, some of the places I'm getting these images, with some talk about them too.

Regular surface based 'skyhook' carriers -
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/warships1discussionboards/skyhook-harrier-carrier-t3939.html

Submarine carrier with the 'skyhook' concept -
https://www.snafu-solomon.com/2018/09/blast-from-past-concept-sub.html

This legend has built an alternate model for the HMS QE2, adapted for harriers -edit, it's actually a conversion of the cruise liner QE2 from troop-ship to carrier for an extended falklands war
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=7034.0
 
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For a commerce raider, being able to launch the longer ranged fixed wings would be a major advantage. For a Q ship or a modern pirate it's not as important.
I was thinking of an escort, but as a raider, IMO, there's even less need of manned aircraft, fixed-wing or not.

Use RPVs. They're easier to hide & easier to get. (Having Predators stashed in containers on deck might take some explaining, however.:openedeyewink: ) This might even lead some militaries (can anyone say "the Pentagon"?;) ) to buy less-insanely-large & -expensive RPVs.
 
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