--- title: "Superyacht Allegedly Used Energy Weapon to Defeat Pirates" description: "A top-secret superyacht confessional reveals the Bond Villain-esque lifestyles of the rich and the famous who own these luxury vessels." date: "2022-04-26" modified: "2022-04-26" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/superyacht-energy-weapons" categories: - "Energy" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "directed energy weapons" - "electromagnetic noise" - "pirates" - "superyacht" - "the digest" --- # Superyacht Allegedly Used Energy Weapon to Defeat Pirates ![A top-secret superyacht confessional reveals the Bond-esque lifestyles of the rich and the famous who own these luxury vessels.]() *\Image: Futurism\* ## Yacht Rock A superyacht confessional reveals the supposedly Bond Villain-esque lifestyles of the rich and the famous who own these luxury vessels. In an [anonymously-penned piece for the *Times of London*](), a purported "superyacht insider" described the exploits they claim to have witnessed and participated aboard these fancy boats — which include, allegedly and eyebrow-raisingly, using energy weapons on pirates. "I’ll never forget the wide-eyed horror of one captain as he recounted how he had to deploy a 70m yacht’s arsenal of onboard security (think sonic weapons that deliver ear-splitting, high-volume acoustics and 'pain rays' that transmit a narrow beam of electromagnetic energy to heat the skin and cause an unbearable burning sensation) to try to evade Kalashnikov-wielding pirates speeding towards him on Ribs in the Arabian Sea," the piece's unnamed author wrote. ## Believe It or Not Naturally, this kind of boastfulness should be taken with a hefty grain of salt. Where and how someone would even purchase such a weapon for consumer use is one outstanding question. Then again, considering that these Maybachs of the sea reportedly [cost tens of millions of dollars upfront]() and another million or two *per year* to run, the process of, say, [buying long-range acoustic devices]() (LRAD) on the kinds of black markets depicted in action franchises like the "Fast and the Furious" films doesn't seem quite as outlandish. Indeed, the other tales told by this lucky superyacht passenger — from a genetic scientist who "developed pioneering, FDA-approved home test kit for coronavirus" on his "floating laboratory" to barstools covered in none other than whale foreskin — certainly depict the kind of wealth most of us either envy, loathe, or both. Because this supposed insider doesn't want to burn their employers/friends by giving their names, we have to take their word for it. **READ MORE:** [Confessions of a superyacht insider]() \[*The Times of London*\] **More on outrageous vessels for the uber-wealthy:** *[Luxurious Submarine for Rich People Looks Just as Cool as a Space Vacation]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()