Pirates now using gunships – new threat to trade routes?

Date: 050208
Planet: Tatooine/Naboo System
Region: Farpoint Valley

Story: (Written by the Galactic News Agency, Ramona doesn't write IC).

One week ago, IMC shipped a cargo of ore to the Nova Orion Station in the Ord Mantell sector with the “Scipio”, a AEG-77 “Vigo” class gunship owned and operated by captain Daradyn. During refueling in the Naboo System, the “Scipio” was attacked by an unidentified Incom X4 gunship. Thanks to the crew’s quick reaction, the attacker was driven off after a short but furious fight:



However, once in the Ord Mantell system, the “Scipio” was attacked again, by the same attacker, who managed to escape again. IMC did not comment on the tenacity of the attacker other than to deny any speculation concerning the cargo it shipped.

With pirates using gunships, freighters are now at even bigger risks. Experts are not sure whether the trend among independent captains will go toward using better armed ships themselves, or bigger convoys, or faster ships.