To combat bold pirate groups, many yachts owned by billionaires have been equipped with sonic weapons.
According to a source in the industry, the website Business Insider reported that in a recent foiled plot, an armed pirate group approached a superyacht in the Arabian Sea. However, the pirates were thwarted after the captain deployed sonic weapons and electromagnetic pulse beams that caused severe burns as a countermeasure.
The Eclipse yacht owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. (Photo: CNBC)
“The pirates armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles approached the 70-meter yacht in a small boat. The captain deployed sound weapons that produced a deafening noise at high volume and emitted beams that caused a burning sensation on the skin,” revealed a source with 20 years of experience in the superyacht industry to The Times of London.
“The threat from pirate attacks is real. In some areas, such as along the African coast in the Gulf of Aden, anyone passing through is aware of the dangers. On a yacht, one can find any optimal protective technology,” the source added.
Experts estimate that the average value of 1 square meter on a superyacht is around 1 million USD. The fact that superyachts have become attractive targets for pirates has led many billionaires to spend millions on modern technology, from secret rooms and escape pods to monitoring devices and hiring former Marines as security personnel to ensure the safety of their yachts.
A prime example of this trend is the Eclipse superyacht, measuring 160 meters in length and owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.
When it was delivered to billionaire Abramovich in 2010, the yacht was valued at 350 million pounds. However, after upgrades and the addition of many modern features, the value of Eclipse is now estimated at around 1.2 billion pounds. The primary factor driving the value of the Eclipse superyacht up is its advanced security system, which includes surveillance radar and a missile defense system along with escape submarines.
ProForm Marines is a company specializing in providing monitoring and military systems for yachts, as well as training former Marines as security teams.
One of the defense systems offered by ProForm is called L-RAD – a long-range sound device capable of repelling intruders. The sound produced by the device can cause headaches, ear pain, or even rupture eardrums for the attacked individuals.
Paul Kerr, CEO of ProForm, stated that this is “a system that combines radar and infrared cameras, detecting threats from a distance of 5 kilometers, even at night or in foggy weather conditions.”
