Marine Electronics
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After the end of a record year in pirate attacks, many companies are in a quandary as to how to protect their ships and crew. Now though, ship captains for every type of boat or ship have a solution to their weaponless war. New water cannon and water fence technology, permits captains to send out a fierce water offense and an impenetrable water defense. And do it all safely from the captain’s cabin.
The problem is that many ships are simply not armed and many don’t want an armed ship or any weapons on board at all. One solution they’ve used so far is your basic fire hose, which comes standard on many ships. However, the fire hose has problems. And that’s because pirates are often armed with machine guns, grenade launchers and long-range rifles. All of which makes out-in-the-open fire hose warriors an easy target.
Thanks to new technology, captains can now have complete control over a battalion of water hose robots. With vision feeds and a joystick, the captain can not only take aim and knock down pirates as they unlawfully board, but also direct the heavy water guns directly out to sea, flooding and sinking pirate boats.
For an even better defense, ship captains can opt for a perimeter of rotating water cannons. Originally developed for cleaning the dirtiest of ships, these rotating water jets, when mounted strategically on the boat, not only make it basically impossible to board, but will make life miserable for anybody who attempts to.
Even with all this, ship captains that anticipate a water fight to the end might consider water cannon vehicles. Releasing an army of robot controlled vehicles may be the ultimate pirate vengeance. Combined with the latest robotic vision technology, and programmed to not only hose down but also hunt down anything that moves; these robots may be more than what any pirate bargained for.
Before you go and buy a full-featured water cannon system, there are many things to consider. First and foremost, there is a warfare strategy and learning how to get the most from a high technology defense system. Most systems can be integrated with communication networks and can be automated. This means that some systems could require extensive training to get the most out of them in actual battle conditions.
Besides the electronic and computer features, you will also need to decide on what type of water cannons and how many you want, You can find water cannons in almost any shape, size or weight. Unifire AB of Sweden makes some of most technologically advanced water cannon systems and some of the most powerful water cannons. Designed to be integrated with infrared and CCTV cameras, as well as early detection radar systems, their cannons can hit a moving target over 90 meters away and hit it hard. Their most powerful systems can shoot out water at a rate of 5,000 liters per minute; enough to sink a small boat relatively quickly.
While you’re at it, you might also want to look at rotating canon systems that ScanJet Marine offers. Their systems are activated at a push of a button. Once activated, a high-speed water fence surrounds the ship’s perimeter, making it virtually impossible for anyone to board.
If you want something smaller and more customized, Roboteq, a precision motor controller company, and Mirage Services, an expert in the design of automated guided vehicles, has just introduced a robot controlled water cannon. The system, which offers battling captains exacting aim from the comfort and safety of the captain’s quarters, will send a 3,000 liter per minute blast of water right where it’s intended.
