Posted on 02/26/2016 7:17:07 PM PST by MtnClimber
The U.S. Navy has a serious problem. After a decade and a half of focusing on supporting land wars, its basic ability to sink other ships is seriously lacking. To reverse that trend, the sea service wants to buy the new Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM)-and it wants it ASAP.
Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, wants the Navy to put LRASM into service ASAP to counter surface threats in the Chinese, Russian, and North Korean navies. In comments to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Harris described LRASM as a "great capability we need to bring online fast."
For decades, the U.S. Navy relied upon the Harpoon missile as its primary ship killer. Introduced in 1977, Harpoon could fly to ranges of 67 miles at sea-skimming altitudes, cruising just above the waves to decrease radar detection range. On impact, Harpoon would smash into an enemy ship, detonating a 468-pound high explosive warhead with devastating effect. Harpoon was adapted to ships, aircraft, and submarines, and is used throughout NATO navies and allies such as Japan.
After locating the enemy fleet, it dives to sea-skimming altitude to avoid close-in defenses. LRASM then sizes up the enemy fleet, locates its target, and calculates the desired "mean point of impact"-the exact spot the missile should aim for, taking into account the accuracy of the missile-to ensure the missile does not miss. In most instances that is the exact center of the ship, with the angle of the ship in relation to the missile taken into consideration.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
Much more interesting info at link, but could only exerpt a small amount.
I can see it now. An artificial intelligence deciding not to attack because it believes in peace. Meanwhile dumb russian missiles are making hypersonic sprints to hit an American shop before the defenses can react. We need faster missiles.
Very interesting ... TY
I recall being surprised when that Exocet missile really destroyed the Sheffield.
I think the days of surface ships may be limited.
Good read! I also like that it can be used with existing, multiple platforms on ships/jets.
With our cowardly, leftist, gender-oriented Secretary of the Navy over the Obama term, I’m surprised we still have a Navy, and one that wants to win a fight when necessary.
This admiral sounds like the guys I used to have lunch with - Arleigh Burke, Radford, Middendorf, Dan Galley, etc. - fighting men! And that was at only two tables. You should have seen who was at the others (OSS, CIA, AF, POWS, Army, Marines, ONI/FBI/SACB/HCUA/SISS, etc).
A 1000 lb warhead at waterline and at the center of a ship would be devastating. But, if you hit the ammo locker or fuel tanks it would be better. Bet that is in the works for target engagement. Just a guess.
Zer0 probably thinks a gay Navy is better than a well-armed Navy. Then if someone attacked us the DemocRATs can call them homophobic.
Seems to me that surface skimming missiles would be easier to bring down than one coming straight down.
Shooting up geysers of water in the path of the missile could knock it down or off course.
I would think the ultimate hit would be a missile that penetrated the deck and continued right through to the hull, detonating and blowing a hole in the bottom. Oh, and coming in supersonic at least.
Am I wrong?
I suspect you are right but it might not make much difference.
Modern ships are not heavily armored.
If a missile comes in high then it is easy to detect early with radar and to plan the response. If a missile comes in at wavetop level, the seawater of any wave higher than the missile will block the radar. And if there are planned course changes near-in, there is less predictability when there are only momentary radar images.
IIRC, the AS-4 was designed to do a near vertical Mach 4 dive. Dunno how much maneuvering it could do during that dive, but you had only one chance at knocking it down, and the dealing with all the left over Mach 4 debris still coming at you.
And IIRC, the Exocet warhead did not even detonate, which really ups the ante...................
Thanks for the interesting link!
Got a bunch on my FR home page but the page needs some maintenance..... most links work.
Hope it helps ya.... Stay Safe !!
Interesting.
The Japanese used armor piercing artillery shells with fins attached when they bombed Pearl.
The shells penetrated through the armored decks, exploding deep in the battleships.
The video of the Arizona, wow, the bow lifted out of the water. Mostly caused by the forward magazine exploding I guess. But a bomb/shell penetrated down to the magazine to set it off.
Aluminized Explosives can form that air pocket described in the link. As you state the Japs went old school with HE on delay to punch multiple decks if not the hull to get to the tender parts of the ship. Took disaster control parties out of the equation pretty much with horrific damage , damage to horrible to recover from or even delay evacuation of the crew.
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