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.
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 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 think this concept here in (image related) was drawn up during the Falklands War.
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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.
@Petros >Peter Fergus<
Do you have other images of freighters , merchant ships with military modifications?
Thanks
I was thinking of an escort, but as a raider, IMO, there's even less need of manned aircraft, fixed-wing or not.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.
Even if they go missing without sending in a distress call people will know something might be up in the area.Maritime recon planes can be shot down and most countries only have a handful of them anyway