Modern Q-ship possibilities

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by Otto Harkaman

“Many targeting systems rely on inverse synthetic-aperture radar, which produces a low-resolution image of its target for identification, revealing only a simplified shape. In heavily-trafficked areas, a missile merchant without sensor masts would be hard to discern from other merchant ships at range.”

Cargo Ships As Missile Carriers Is One Of The Navy’s Options To Offset Cruiser Retirements

New Navy proposal suggests converting cargo ships into heavily-armed ‘missile merchant’ warships

Converting Merchant Ships to Missile Ships for the Win

A Russian company is selling shipping containers packed with cruise missiles

China Building Long-Range Cruise Missile Launched From Ship Container

lol.
i believe there is an international treaty that bans merchies from weapons of this type.

The Right of Self Defense Under International Law

Under international law, merchant vessels and their crews have the right to carry arms for self defense if that is required for the vessel to exercise its freedom of navigation. Self-defense measures include providing weapons and training to the crew and/or hiring armed guards to allow the vessel to navigate. The self-defense measures and their employment should be proportionate to the threat.

not sure where surface to surface missiles fall in the category of self-defense.

this is the age-old paradigm, popularized recently by Marvel in its movie script(s): just because you CAN do something, does not mean that you SHOULD do it.