…the Colombian Navy was somehow using intel and satellite technology to nail these suckers as soon as they pulled away from land.

This is a pretty broad statement. The “intel” could have been tipsters or undercovers. I don’t know what type of satellite sensors would have been used for these operations.

If the vessel is already at sea, then I would think that the best imaging radars would be those employed by aircraft.

The best bet is to use the captured vessels for imaging radar tests – then disseminate the type of image it produces. (These vessels aren’t stealth enough to hide from imaging radars.)

#16

I remember reading 2007 Colombian reports that said, working directly with the US Coast Guard, the Colombian Navy was somehow using intel and satellite technology to nail these suckers as soon as they pulled away from land.

Could this be part of what I remember reading? Or is all radar surface based, and sat technology separate?

I’m not an expert on this stuff, but I am fascinated.

On July 18th, 2008 at 7:13 pm, supersean said:

The fact that these vessels are also utilizing commercial off the shelf boat engines makes their detection even easier

Detection isn’t the challenge. Discrimination is.

Imagine a sonar system indicating the presence of 50 fishing boat engines OR so many engines that the system can’t tell one boat from the other. In such a case, the sonar doesn’t help enforcement officials locate anything.

The best bet is to use the captured vessels for imaging radar tests – then disseminate the type of image it produces. (These vessels aren’t stealth enough to hide from imaging radars.)

since it seems you might also know a thing or two about this, you should know that active and passive sonar systems deployed by most modern navies (even the almighty Mexican navy) and coast guards can easily distinguish large, improperly constructed moving objects underwater. The fact that these vessels are also utilizing commercial off the shelf boat engines makes their detection even easier

On July 18th, 2008 at 1:37 pm, WestCoastCoconut said:

Die Hippie, Die Mexico has even sent a Mexican into space!!! Seriously!!

Rodolfo Neri Vela

Where did Rodolfo stow away? I didn’t know the shuttle had a trunk.

Part of the war on drugs I’m sure is (or should be) is the transport of drug money back to the cartels.
If they can’t get their money, they might quit shipping.
Maybe a real reward for turning in the location of drug money would help.

On July 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm, supersean said:

It is fairly easy to catch these boats as they do not have the hydrodynamics to truly “run silent”.

I’m not sure this is true. It’s not simply a matter of hearing them. It’s a matter of discriminating them from the background noise. Do you know whether or not they have a loud, discrete frequency?

*Raise your hand if your reaction to that story was “Mexico has a navy?” Well, they do, and good for them.

Gosh ! Michelle I thought this was common knowledge. Obviously you did not spend enough time in the southwest. he he he

I only know this because my uncle served in the Mexican Navy and lives in Mazatlan.

Rodolfo Neri Vela

http://k41.pbase.com/g6/64/556864/2/82246966.BrLRF4MY.jpg