# Why do pirates attack Navy ships? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 14, 2011, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648 "2011-03-14T11:57:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/1 "2011-03-14T11:57:10Z")
In the news today I noticed the second time (that I am aware of) that pirates have attacked a Navy vessel. The first time was last year when they attacked the [USS Nicholas](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/04/01/2010-04-01_us_navy_captures_5_somali_pirates_siezes_pirate_mother_ship_off_kenya_somali_coa.html) The article mentions they mistook the “445-foot guided-missile frigate Nicholas for an unarmed freighter”. That seems like a pretty dumb mistake. Frigates don’t look like freighters. I noticed the second one today when they [attacked an Indian Navy vessel](http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2011/03/14/india-captures-61-somali-pirates-arabian-sea-navy/). It seems that with as many Navy vessels out there from many nations, they would not attack a ship without somewhat identifying what it is? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/2 "2011-03-14T12:13:48Z")
I think it’s because they attack at night, when their approach to the other ship is less likely to be noticed, but when they find it much harder to identify the other ship. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/3 "2011-03-14T12:25:38Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I think it’s because they attack at night, when their approach to the other ship is less likely to be noticed, but when they find it much harder to identify the other ship. Yea, from one of the articles I had gathered that (I forgot to mention it in my OP). But still, it seems to me that by the time the pirates have clear enough vision to know where to shoot their rounds, they would be able to determine the difference between a frigate and a freighter. ---
**Author:** ![Sizzles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@Sizzles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sizzles)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/4 "2011-03-14T13:04:07Z")
The pirates didn’t attack the Indian Navy ship, they were intercepted by it and opened fire. > **[Indian navy captures 61 pirates on Mozambican ship](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12729629)** > > Dozens of pirates aboard a Mozambican ship are captured by the Indian navy after a gun battle in the Arabian Sea. “Two Indian navy ships intercepted the ship in the Arabian Sea nearly 1100km (695 miles) off the southern coast of Kochi and engaged in a gun battle, the navy said in a statement.” ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/5 "2011-03-14T13:54:22Z")
Because these are people of the land. The salt of the Earth. The common clay of the modern world. You know, Morons. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/6 "2011-03-14T15:06:08Z")
> [@Sizzles](#): > > The pirates didn’t attack the Indian Navy ship, they were intercepted by it and opened fire. > > [Indian navy captures 61 pirates on Mozambican ship - BBC News](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12729629) > > “Two Indian navy ships intercepted the ship in the Arabian Sea nearly 1100km (695 miles) off the southern coast of Kochi and engaged in a gun battle, the navy said in a statement.” Well, that would make more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/7 "2011-03-14T16:15:06Z")
Why would they do that? When is the last time the pirates won against a warship operates by a sovereign nation? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/8 "2011-03-14T16:34:17Z")
plus you know, being pirates, they would have only one good eye… ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/9 "2011-03-14T17:32:07Z")
For all you know, it was a band of inexperienced or exceptionally starving pirates taking what they could get. There’s a lot of sea out there, and not many boats per capita. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/10 "2011-03-14T17:38:29Z")
I think you find very few Mensa members among pirates. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/11 "2011-03-14T17:58:47Z")
Just think, though. If they _do_ manage to capture that frigate, imagine the pay off! (Insert Dr. Evil quotes here.) High risk, high gain! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/12 "2011-03-14T18:00:28Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Just think, though. > > If they _do_ manage to capture that frigate, imagine the pay off! (Insert Dr. Evil quotes here.) > > High risk, high gain! It’s a frigate, how hard would an undermanned frigate be to take back? Now if they had sharks with “LASERs” maybe we would have to worry. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/13 "2011-03-14T20:56:27Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Because these are people of the land. The salt of the Earth. The common clay of the modern world. > > You know, Morons. Nobody move or the… Not sure that works here, either. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/14 "2011-03-14T21:07:03Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > It’s a frigate, how hard would an undermanned frigate be to take back? Now if they had sharks with “LASERs” maybe we would have to worry. Sharks with frigate lasers on their heads! ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/15 "2011-03-14T21:21:35Z")
It could be just a show of strength. Lots of rebel groups will attack an army and run. It happens all the time in war. Ambush a few people and then run. It’s to show you CAN be hit. No one expects them to fight an open battle. You become the “guys” that took on the US/Indian Navy and lived. It’s a mark of strength. --------OR--------- They were mistaken 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/16 "2011-03-14T21:25:42Z")
For the lulz? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/17 "2011-03-15T01:57:00Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > No one expects them to fight an open battle. No one expected the Spanish Inquisition either. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyMarine2092](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@JerseyMarine2092](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyMarine2092)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/18 "2011-03-15T02:24:53Z")
Because they’re feeling downcast, abandoned, and lonely. Like no one in the world understands them and is there for them. So they think about it a lot. Sure, they don’t really focus on the dying part. But maybe, just maybe they think they’ll finally get some attention. That people will finally care. Only when the 5" gun opens up do they really realize the gravity of the situation. Have a Live Journal would have been much more effective. ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/19 "2011-03-15T03:12:24Z")
The prospect of emo pirates makes me sad… ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648/20 "2011-03-15T03:15:59Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > You become the “guys” that took on the US/Indian Navy and **lived.** (Bolding and underlining by me) I think someone is making one hell of an assumption there. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-pirates-attack-navy-ships/574648.md?page=2)