Prepare to Repel Boarders!

Non-lethal anti-pirate weapons

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A Force 50 anti-pirate water cannon made and marketed by Unifire AB of Stockholm, Sweden.

Unifire AB
Nov. 9, 2008: Somali pirates holding AK-47s and grenade launchers in command of the Ukrainian cargo ship MS Faina and its bemused-looking crew.

Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/U.S. Navy
The truck-mounted version of the Active Denial System, or 'pain ray.'

U.S. Air Force
Nov. 9, 2008: A montage of Somali pirates holding the Ukrainian freighter MV Faina, illustrating their AK-47s and grenade launchers.

Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/U.S. Navy
A smaller version of the Active Denial System, or 'pain ray.'

Randy Montoya/Sandia Corporation
March 2006: Two AK-47 assault rifles and a grenade launcher confiscated by the USS Cape St. George from Somali pirates.

AP
The 'Dazzle Rifle' gun developed by the Air Force, intended to temporarily blind adversaries.

U.S. Air Force
Oct. 2008: Pirates leave the Ukrainian merchant vessel MV Faina for the Somali shore.

AP
Jan. 2006: A sailor tests a long range acoustic device (LRAD) aboard the patrol boat USS Typhoon at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Norfolk, Va.

U.S. Navy
The Seabourn Spirit, which successfully fended off a pirate attack in November 2005 using a sonic weapon, in Sydney Harbor in January 2006.

Greg O'Beirne/Wikimedia Commons
Sept. 2008: A covered LRAD aboard the ocean liner Queen Mary 2.

Palmiped/Wikimedia Commons