Posted on 10/24/2018 7:32:47 AM PDT by C19fan
The Chinese Air Force is building a mystery missile designed to turn the tables on America's air power advantage.
The weapon, tentatively known as PL-XX, is a very-long-range missile designed to strike enemy aircraft loitering just beyond the edge of an air battle. The point is to shoot down the tankers, airborne early warning planes, and other support aircraft that U.S. combat jets rely upon during wartime. Stripped of these forces, U.S. air power would operate at a serious disadvantage, shifting the air battle in China’s favor.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
So let’s take a page from China’s book and steal the technology from them, if it is really any good.
IT’s an interesting concept, but 100 miles is a long way and gives the targeted aircraft a lot of time to maneuver and deploy chaff, flares, and ECM.
We had 125 mile A2A with the Phoenix missile system on the F-14.
This threat is real. USAF planners are extremely concerned with this threat and as yet have no reasonably satisfactory countermeasure.
The technology of the Chinese to create this threat is proven well known technology. The response technology is new, expensive and untried.
Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Clinton.
Not to diminish the threat, but isn’t this aimed at our projection of power? And doesn’t that make it essentially a defensive measure?
... Not that I’m happy about any advantage the Chinese might develop, of course.
Aegis... If it fly’s it dies...
We used to have the Phoenix, air launched with a standoff range of up to 125 miles IIRC. We need a smaller version of that weapon to deal with incoming missile threats such as the one described.
There’s at least 1 glaring discrepancy in the article. No need to get into it in this forum, but the problem is somewhat less dire than it appears.
One must assume they will achieve their goal in order to believe US forces are at risk.
And one must believe that the PLAAF cannot be countered with superior US technology and tactics. And that those are not in development or already deployed.
That’s a lot of believing.
For instance: Their launch platforms still have to get within missile range, even for their new long range missile, to take out these assets. And that’s with US forces determined to take THEM out. And do so outside the range envelope. And their new missile must work against superior US ECM.
So many variables, so much belief.
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