Boarding, assaulting, and securing a pirate-occupied ship on the high seas can be a deadly operation¿especially when it comes to the pirates of yore, who have been plying their trade much the same way for centuries. Gaining pre-op intel on such villains as Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and One-Eyed Willie also represents a special challenge, as does using modern weaponry against their formidable array of cannons, cutlasses, muskets, pistols, and pikes. For these reasons and more, war against pirates requires well-trained sailors who can respond to rapidlychanging situations. This exclusive field manual details the essential philosophy and combat skills at the core of our Navy's ongoing efforts to take out eye-patched, peg-legged, and hooked-hand buccaneers. Distributed to all sailors, U.S. Navy Pirate Combat Skills includes illustrations throughout. It covers:Mission Preparation ¿ Pirate Psychological Operations, or PiPsyOps ¿ On-Deck Hand-to-Hand and Hand-to-Hook Combat ¿ Pirate Tracking ¿ Booby Traps and Other Pirate Weaponry ¿ Subsurface and Surface Assaults ¿ Daring Airborne Assaults ¿ Crow's-Nest Parachute Landings ¿ Underwater Demolitions ¿ Movement on Deck ¿ Pirate Sniper Positions and Techniques ¿ Escaping Pirate Captivity