Balance of power?

[Skywarrior]

Nothing projects U.S. global air and sea power more vividly than supercarriers. Bristling with fighter jets that can reach deep into even landlocked trouble zones, America's virtually invincible carrier fleet has long enforced its dominance of the high seas.

China may soon put an end to that.

U.S. naval planners are scrambling to deal with what analysts say is a game-changing weapon being developed by China — an unprecedented carrier-killing missile called the Dong Feng 21D that could be launched from land with enough accuracy to penetrate the defenses of even the most advanced moving aircraft carrier at a distance of more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles).

 

[mappow]

DOD and it's support contractors are 5-8 years ahead of the curve. I'm sure we have something to take this out. If not in production at least in R&D.

 

[THE DUKE OF ESSEX]

DOD and it's support contractors are 5-8 years ahead of the curve. I'm sure we have something to take this out. If not in production at least in R&D.

I hope so, I have a nephew on the USS George Washington.

 

[HunterLee]

I don't know. If you read what is the latest on the internet, the main reason they pulled the plug on the DDG 1000 was that they became aware of the fact that a "Truck Mounted" Anti-Ship Missle could take it out. It seems a bit strange that the thought of a "Truck Mounted" Anti-Ship Missle had never crossed anyone's mind before.

 

[ronwill]

We already have anti missile missiles in use today and more in development. That is unless Obama decides that because we are so far in debt to China we can pass on the deployment.

 

[Ringo]

The news of this missile is over a year old. And no, we don't have anything that can stop it. It's very low flying and extremely difficult for radar to detect until too late. When it reaches it's designated distance it drops into the water and becomes an extremely high speed torpedo, too close and too fast to be stopped. Not good.

 

[Cocked _and_Locked]

Big blue water power projection was a nice luxury the past 50 years or so of U.S. administrations had the option to exert, as long as nobody was willing or able to challenge it. Fact is they are extremely vulnerable to any number of modern technology weapons currently in many of our enemies inventories.

In harm's way, the question is not "if," but "when."

 

[HunterLee]

The fact that this administration has decided on a Navy of 325 -345 ships in this day and age (when ten years ago we had planned on a 600 ship minimum by this time) : as China continually builds their Navy with modern / new technology (many ships extremely similar to our DDG 51 Class), and Russia finally beginning to rebuild (after the fall of the Soviet Union) their navy as their government returns to to their old ways.
All of this with the fact that NGSB is going to close its Avondale shipyard, and plans for "who knows what" for Newport News and Ingalls. America is losing / will lose its Naval superiority if something is not done with regard to shipbuilding NOW! The decision of a 325 -340 ship Navy, whether it was made by Gates or Barry (obama), is just another straw that this current administration is using to break the back of the United States of America.

 

[handgonnetoter]

At one time, not too long ago, the British navy was the largest in the world. The sun never used to set on the British Empire, not so for a long time. They are but a shell of their former selves, thanks to a Liberal "turn the other cheek" policy. It saddens me, but I feel we are going the same way.:fie:

 

[Cocked _and_Locked]

The problem is simple economics. We cannot afford a massive military any longer. The Air force is in the same boat, so to speak. Guns or butter. The country has chosen butter, whether people like you and me like it or not.

 

[handgonnetoter]

The problem is simple economics. We cannot afford a massive military any longer. The Air force is in the same boat, so to speak. Guns or butter. The country has chosen butter, whether people like you and me like it or not.

I know, your right. We might just as well embrace the horror and go down swinging.

 

[mappow]

The engineering of a rocket thrown Torpedo and or a platform to deliver that weapon is not new nor is a high speed Torpedo. Usually, at least in the last say 40 years, when DOD and or some other Gov't entity requests a system, they usually request a countermeasures to their own system. At times funding will not allow a countermeasure to be developed but for the most part it is at least studied and a threat assessment is established. Failure of this was shown in the rescue attempt with the Iranian Hostages. We were blown out of the sky by our own SAM missiles that we had sold the Shah. I mentioned this only in the fact that ANTI-Missile systems and ANTI-Torpedo systems are out there and in continued development. These ANTI systems came out of the engineering that produced the original systems.
I believe and pray we have kept our edge in R&D and have a countermeasure established. There's a lot of programs hidden within programs that fund the research needed to combat our foes of today and the future. There is also many, many systems that cannot be mentioned and or confirmed. I hope there is one that will defeat this one.

 

[HunterLee]

Failure of this was shown in the rescue attempt with the Iranian Hostages. We were blown out of the sky by our own SAM missiles that we had sold the Shah.

I know the above quote has nothing to do with the current topic; but you must have some REAL GOOD inside information (Security clearance). Because, as I recall, the Helicopters Collided, as it is IMPOSSIBLE to see through dust/dirt/sand with Night Vision Goggles. If they were taken out by SAM's as you say, it would have had to be done while they were VERY CLOSE together and VERY CLOSE to the ground. As the wreckage of the destroyed equipment were VERY CLOSE to each other. I was in the Army at that time, and I remember some friends who dissapeared for awhile (TDY) training for (nothing)? Luckily for them, they were not chosen to go. BTW I was in the 155 AVN Assult/Attack Helicopter Co., Which ended up being absorbed by the 7th Combat Avn Btn, 7th Infantry Div. Fort Ord Ca. at the time.

 

[Islander]

Submarines have been the only "safe" naval ship against a 1st World threat for a long time. Even these are not invincible and are limited in assault capability compared to ACCs.

6-Years of Submarine Service
10 Years in the Defense Industry
Top Secret Security Clearance

 

[Cocked _and_Locked]

... the Helicopters Collided, as it is IMPOSSIBLE to see through dust/dirt/sand

This is closer to the real truth. As you mentioned, the SAM story is pure fantasy. What really happened was, they were forced down at an unscheduled stop/location due to navigation error. Subsequently, mechanical malfunction due to FOD ingestion disabled one of the choppers. The Navy Sea Stallions were not prepared for desert operations requiring additional filtration and hardened flight surfaces. Two others collided attempting to take off again in the ensuing chaos and reduced visibility.

 

[AR Hammer]

I know the above quote has nothing to do with the current topic; but you must have some REAL GOOD inside information (Security clearance). Because, as I recall, the Helicopters Collided, as it is IMPOSSIBLE to see through dust/dirt/sand with Night Vision Goggles. If they were taken out by SAM's as you say, it would have had to be done while they were VERY CLOSE together and VERY CLOSE to the ground. As the wreckage of the destroyed equipment were VERY CLOSE to each other. I was in the Army at that time, and I remember some friends who dissapeared for awhile (TDY) training for (nothing)? Luckily for them, they were not chosen to go. BTW I was in the 155 AVN Assult/Attack Helicopter Co., Which ended up being absorbed by the 7th Combat Avn Btn, 7th Infantry Div. Fort Ord Ca. at the time.

As 'Boot On The Ground' during that incident, without going into painful detail, I can tell you it was a navigation accident, Human Error compounded by weather.
If it hadn't been for the Bedawans in the area, we would have lost a LOT more people, maybe the entire assault force...
That was one bad refuel stop caused by bad navigation.

Rotors simply got into a parked aircraft, and the aircraft behind plowed into the ones on the ground.
You couldn't judge dept (no depth perception) in the early night vision units and they collided.
These were the MOST experienced pilots and had trained extensively,
Showing once again, Murphy rides with you into combat... (and still does!)
It's combat, and ANYTHING can happen, you can't blame the soldiers or the aircraft, it was just plain bad luck.

That particular incident prompted a new class of night vision for pilots, and the program progresses to this day.
The military won't be satisfied until they have 'Bionic Eyes' that provide depth perception, and that will be one very good day for our pilots!

No 'Enemy Action' was involved, just plain bad luck and hateful conditions.

 

[HunterLee]

As 'Boot On The Ground' during that incident, without going into painful detail, I can tell you it was a navigation accident, Human Error compounded by weather.
If it hadn't been for the Bedawans in the area, we would have lost a LOT more people, maybe the entire assault force...That was one bad refuel stop caused by bad navigation.

You couldn't judge dept (no depth perception) in the early night vision units and they collided.
These were the MOST experienced pilots and had trained extensively,

No 'Enemy Action' was involved, just plain bad luck and hateful conditions.

GOD BLESS; and I SALUTE YOU! WE ALL TRAINED FOR DESERT WAREFARE BACK THEN "EXTENSIVELY"! (THE GOV. HAD A GOOD IDEA WHO, AND WHERE WE WOULD BE FIGHTING IN THE FUTURE). I USED TO CREW CHIEF A HUEY THAT FLEW CRASH RESCUE OVER WAR GAMES IN THE DESERT, AND WE ALL WORE NIGHT VISION (THE GAME PLAYERS BELOW, IN COBRAS AND 58'S) AND US, THE CRASH RESCUE AS WE WATCHED THE GAME PLAY OUT BELOW (WE WERE ABOUT 2500 - 5000 FT ASL). AGAIN I SALUTE YOU FOR BEING THERE.