How to do commerce raiding with auxiliary cruisers in 21st century?

Some random thoughts:
When a merchantman ( or a yacht ) sinks a buoy floats free and announces the sinking and its position by satellite link to the world. In the world wars a sinking might only be reported weeks alter.
Disguised mine layers might sink mines carrying programmed torpedoes in the weeks before a planned war starts. Don't be too obvious otherwise the intended victims will be warned before hand.
The main threat to conventional commerce raiders will be maritime patrol aircraft. Radar carrying airships might also play a role. I understand such airships ( unmanned? ) are being developed by China.

hey look, Russians developed a system perfect for armed merchant cruisers

[video=youtube;vUQ59LBCt1c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUQ59LBCt1c[/video]

shen said:

hey look, Russians developed a system perfect for armed merchant cruisers

Click to expand...

air ship based observation craft a real blast from the past! I know the USA is also working in that area I would not be surprised if in the future we saw what looked like world war two era skies filled with barrage balloons but really being used for communications, targeting, observation, atmospheric conditions, power generation maybe even ultra high altitude for satellite alternatives.

Shen that's a good pick, but I think its more for ground based use. Particularly in places near Israel... I am not entirely happy to see it as its likely to see use by groups who have a real problem with obeying the rules of war.

I thought one of the main reason the auxiliary cruiser went away is due to development of the submarine which took over their role?

One of the main reasons why auxiliary cruisers went away was the speed of such an asset (20knots) was no longer proportional to the speeds (600 knots), and reach (1000-2000NM) of assets hunting it.