Posted on 06/02/2017 5:58:45 AM PDT by C19fan
The Chinese navy is taking arsenal ships in a new directionas giant submersibles. Post-Cold War naval theorists have long dreamed of recreating the old battleships' power through massive "arsenal ships," or warships carrying hundreds of guided missiles that could fire at land and sea targets. Now it looks like China wants to make that dream a reality.
(Excerpt) Read more at popsci.com ...
As an old ASW operator, we always loved a “submersible” running on or near the surface. It doesn’t even take a buoy pattern to find them, even from miles away. Just a weapon to sink them.
A submersible arsenal ship would be as stealthy as one of the old Russian Whiskey-class subs. LOL!
Carrier Derangement Syndrome (CDS) is strong in you.
Yup.
hmmm... looks pretty cool... Lets call it a “submarine”!
Considering Chinese technical prowess, this is little more than a torpedo target with a bigger than expected boom.
The Chinese Navy (PLAN) cannot project power beyond it’s littorals. They become sitting ducks for the USN.
The giant drill and sawblades are next generation, man. We’ve got nothing to counter that!
At least they are trying something (sort-of) new.
What is USN doing? More, bigger, more expensive versions of the same old thing?
The Zumwalt was too expensive, and the guns don’t even have ammo. It is a dead end.
Carriers are pretty darn inviting targets and the Chinese are working on a whole new type of anti ship missile to take them out.
Right now, I see parallels between the USN’s dismissal of IJN before WWII, and folks’ dismissal of the PLAN. I really don’t want them springing a surprise on us like the Japanese did.
Never interrupt your enemy when they are busy making a mistake.
"Ceterum censeo Islam esse delendam."
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
The USN’s secret weapon is combined arms.
Air (USN and USAF), surface (REALLY GOOD missiles and fire control) and subsurface (the finest sub fleet in the world, bar none).
And the ability to put it all on ONE screen...like a video game.
Every platform we have is superior to any other in the world. When combined, they are insurmountable control of any sea lane we choose, when we choose.
Of course, if somebody else shoots first they are likely to take out a few of ours.
But the price of that is annihilation.
That’s the ONLY reason the United States still exists...the absolute and certain destruction of adversaries. Otherwise they would have taken us out already...as we are the most hated nation in the world.
FTA: Professor Dong Wen Cai, the late Chinese hydrodynamics expert, shows a sketch of a submersible major combatant
Late? as in dead? Dead from what? Did he drown?
Don’t have much faith in the USAF any more, not since the F-35 debacle. They have not met a peer air force in decades. I think our primary advantage is a willingness to burn lots of jet fuel to train our pilots and keep them trained. That is an in important advantage.
I don’t think our missiles are all that good.
We still use dinky subsonic Harpoons, while our potential opponents use Mach 2 and Mach 3 missiles with huge warheads.
Communications can be jammed, and computers hacked. So the video game may be trouble.
The USN should never rest on its laurels because our enemies never rest. We need to innovate in ways that cause them stark terror.
“not since the F-35 debacle”
That’s funny right there.
The F-35 is the most capable attack/interdiction aircraft in the world. And is likely to remain so for a couple of decades.
And as far as your characterization of US missiles, it is most certainly not shared by any potential US adversary. Our missiles are known to work, first time, every time.
Conclusively.
Rim-174/SM-6 ASuW variant was tested for the anti-ship category, sinking the decommissioned FFG-57 Reuben James in 2016.
The usual warhead is about a third that of the Harpoon, but the weapon has possibly four times the range and Mach 3.5 speed. Presumably it could dive upon a target from high altitude.
Really?
Have they got the guns working yet?
And the oxygen system?
Has the VSTOL version stopped burning holes in decks and airfield paving?
I like the information system for the pilot, the head mount display. And it is very advanced. But the darn thing has been nightmare. Too many missions, not enough airplane.
The only way we’ll know for certain about our missiles is when we have a naval battle. I’d really like USN to have a US version of the Sunburn - big, fast, long ranged, sea-skimming, and enormous warhead. That isn’t what we have. Of course, we’re not trying to kill carriers with a single hit, so maybe I’m off target.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.